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WestConnex nightmare continues BY WENDY BACON Last Friday, residents of apartments on the corner of Euston and Sydney Park Rd in Alexandria scored a small win. The NSW government has decided that instead of building the Westconnex motorway less than two metres from their house, it will now be between 3.5 and four metres. Spokesperson for the Friends of Euston Rd Group, Paul Davies told City Hub, “This is a win for community activism. It’s not just about 4 metres of road. A little win like this can lead to lots of other wins.“ In March, Mr Davies and other residents were invited to a Sydney Motorway Corporation (SMC) WestConnex briefing at which they were shown the design for a road that will deliver at least 60,000 extra cars a day past their doorsteps. “This is it” they were told. The design was a fait accompli with no room for negotiation. But Mr Davies and his partner Carmel Delpret, along with other residents and campaign groups across the vast WestConnex route, held pickets and rallies supported by both Labor and Greens MPs. A photo of a child lying across space between the road and their homes spread fast. In early June, they helped organise a rally in Western Sydney outside the office of the Minister for Western Sydney and Westconnex Stuart Ayres. Penrith Valley Community Unions secretary Mary Court told the rally she was opposed not just to decades of tolls but also the whole of Westconnex and its social impacts on Sydney communities. Just a few days after the Penrith rally, the NSW government agreed to a review of the design. But not before trees lining the footpath outside the Euston Rd apartments had been swept away. When Mr Davies tried to find out the review’s terms of reference and what evidence would be used in decisionmaking, he received no meaningful answers from either NSW Planning or NSW Roads and Maritime Services (RMS). As he fumed at this lack of accountability, he watched a deep trench being built outside his apartment. In fact, the ‘review’ did not take long. The decision to remove a bus turning lane from the design sat on Minister Ayres office for several weeks until Friday’s announcement. But this recent good news doesn’t explain why the design was approved by NSW Planning in the first place. Neither NSW Planning nor RMS can plead ignorance. Residents’ submissions to NSW Planning’s Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) assessment process strongly objected to the Euston Rd impacts. Media stories drew attention to health risks of building a road so

Protestors won’t give up the fight against the harmful WestConnex motorway works. Credit: Lorrie Graham

close to children’s bedrooms. But the approval document signed by the Minister for Planning Rob Stokes in late 2016 made no mention of the intersection. “What we have is a total failure of democracy. It is form of political corruption when we don’t have no input into decisionmaking,” said Mr Davies. The news at St Peters was not so good last week. On Wednesday, residents were given three days notice of 18 days of consecutive excavation works, including three consecutive weekends of day and night work. This is the same community that has suffered months of sickening odours for the Westconnex interchange site that was also not dealt with during the Department of Planning’s consideration of the impacts of the New M5 EIS. The New M5 approval conditions set out normal working hours from Monday to Saturday for works, other than tunnelling, which can be 24 hours a day, seven days a week. But there’s a catch. Work outside these hours can be approved if five days notice is given. Only two weekends ago, SMC’s WestConnex CPB contractors worked late into Saturday night without notice. St Peters resident and WestConnex Action Group member Tamara Regan and her family have lived through months of WestConnex dust, vibration and noise as nearby homes were

demolished. Ms Regan has filmed breaches of asbestos removal and been diagnosed as suffering health effects from months of shocking odours from the Alexandria landfill turned tollway excavation site. “I don’t know how much more of this we can take. ...We got three days’ notice, and they didn’t offer residents any alternative accommodation.” In fact, little work was done in St Peters over this weekend, perhaps because a WestCONnex Action Group releases on Friday drew attention to the lack of 5 days notice. Residents don’t know what to expect in coming weekends. Meanwhile more bad news arrived when SMC announced last week that they would take over parts of Tempe reserve including netball courts used by the City of Sydney Netball Association for a work site for four months. This Tempe work site was also not mentioned in the original EIS and is outside the project boundary. The Inner West Council that controls the reserve but SMC used its power under the Roads Act to override Council. A spokesperson for the Inner West Council told City Hub that the Council is negotiating for ‘significant compensation.“ The President of the 50-year-old award winning City of Sydney Netball Association Suzanne Simpson told City Hub that the disruption would cause the Association “a major loss of income, goodwill and continue membership...” So far, the Club has received no compensation. The feedback period for the Concept design for Stage 3 tunnel across Sydney’s Inner West ends this week. Hundreds of submissions have been submitted objecting to the project. Within weeks, SMC will lodge another EIS. No doubt, the Gladys Berejiklian government and NSW Planning bureaucrats are gritting their teeth to weather the storm before pushing ahead with the Western Harbour tunnel, Northern Beaches Link and a Southern tollway. Along with these would go parts of North Shore parkland, Rockdale Wetlands, the Royal National Park and hundreds of homes. This bad news would’ve been safely hidden from the NSW public but for a series of recent Cabinet leaks to the Sydney Morning Herald. Two weeks ago, a Lantern parade from all corners of the M4 M5 route snaked its way to Camperdown Park, near the site of a proposed massive construction site. The government may believe it can ride roughshod over the Inner West, but it will be more anxious about messages of support from groups in Northern, Southern and Western Sydney where residents increasingly realise that they will bear the environmental and economic costs of being the private tollway capital of the world for decades. Wendy Bacon is part of the campaign against Westconnex.

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BY ALEX EUGENE The government made its devastating announcement this week the Powerhouse Museum would move from Ultimo to Parramatta. Up to 90% of the museum’s collection could be moved 25km across Sydney, at an expected cost of $1billion. After years of protest from the community, the site of the iconic venue will now most likely become home to residential blocks, and so far, nothing more than a vague promise of “a cultural facility”. “There’ll be one Powerhouse Museum here, it will be across the river at Parramatta,” said Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Monday. A spokesperson for the Save the Powerhouse group decried the announcement, saying: “[The government] will plough blindly on with their own profit-driven agenda, seemingly unaware that they are losing many of our votes across Inner and Western Sydney. What can we do? Continue to make our protests heard, as loudly as possible, and trust that justice will be done at the ballot box in early 2019, when it will still not be too late to save the Powerhouse,” they said. To make matters worse, the museum will be built on an old David Jones carpark near the Parramatta River, which has flooded many times in the past which was one of the reasons DJs got rid of the site in disgust. Professor Lindsay Sharp, the founding Director of the Powerhouse Musuem,

The Powerhouse Museum is confirmed to be moving to Parramatta, where it will be built on a known flood site Credit: Save the Powerhouse group

said he was shocked and disappointed at the plans. “It is going to flood repeatedly. It will require very expensive and highly risk-prone remediation - reducing the new museum budget even more and endangering irreplaceable collections,” he said. Kylie Winkworth, a heritage consultant and former trustee of the Powerhouse Museum, said it would be safer to have an art gallery at the DJs site, which could have rotating exhibitions by artists. This would support the arts community but also pose less danger to materials kept at such a risky location.

Ms Winkworth said the government should be consulting the public to arrive at a decision about the two venues. “We strongly support the development of a distinctive new museum at Parramatta, based on open consultations about the form, focus and themes in the new museum, and its location. “However the Powerhouse Museum must continue as a major museum and education and tourism attraction in Ultimo, not a remnant cultural space. The headquarters of Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences should remain at Ultimo, with the Powerhouse as its flagship brand,” she said. city hub 3 AUGUST 2017

Sirius business: a brutalist victory BY ALEX EUGENE A local community group has won their court case against the state government. The Sirius building, Millers Point will now be heritage listed, after the former NSW Heritage Minister Mark Speakman failed to do so in 2014. Mr Speakman claimed listing the building would reduce its sale value by almost $70million. The state government had slated the building for private sale, which would almost certainly have fated it for demolition. The 1979 building is one of Australia’s most significant brutalist icons, and is considered a rare architectural masterpiece. A local community group called Save Our Sirius ran a crowd funding campaign and took the government to court over the plans. A spokesperson for the group said the day of the decision was a good day, but that Sydney was still “desperately short of social and affordable housing. Let’s now use it for what it was intended.” Genevieve Murray of Future Methods Studio, an organization who collaborates with communities to design public spaces, said the building was important not just architecturally, but also culturally and politically. But she was skeptical about the government’s attention to such details. “Architectural style has absolutely nothing to do with the decisions being made. There is no value placed on preserving and respecting the fabric of our city from the greedy hands of property developers,” she said. Despite the heritage listing, the prized building will still be sold off. After being social housing for decades, the state government booted all but two tenants out three years ago, with plans to sell the building off privately still in place, which they

The iconic Sirius building is now heritage listed, but is not safe from being sold off by the government. Credit: Alec Smart

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allege is to “raise funds” for more social housing. Ms Murray said the plan was misguided and the wrong approach. “If they are crying poor then the property tax system should be reformed - property developers are making a fortune out of the sale of public land and the people are left with nothing. The Government cannot continue to sell off public assets to fund themselves. It’s blatant, short sighted policy designed to fit a political term and big business interest,” she said. Clare Lewis from the #WeLiveHere2017 campaign group, who have worked to defend local residents of various social housing buildings said: “I am delighted that the Sirius building will be saved, it is a wonderful example of Sydney Brutalism, and the Save Our Sirius campaign have worked so hard for this victory which resonates with so many of the battles being fought around Sydney. “However, this is a victory for architecture; I still have grave concerns for the future of social housing in inner city Sydney. Sirius is symbolic of a more egalitarian era, but the Millers Point social housing community has been emptied of tenants, and will still be sold off for millions to the private market. We need significant investment in social and affordable housing. Cashing in on public assets does not create an equitable, diverse city,” she said. Ms Murray said: “The building of course should not be sold. It should remain in public hands. Like the Barbican Centre in London, this building will only increase in significance as it ages. But more importantly, if the government continue to look for a quick buck they are robbing the public of their land and their heritage.” Pru Goward, the Minister for Social Housing did not respond to City Hub’s requests for comment.

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Tale of two cities: Locals demand Woollahra saved; recognition of our first people Leichhardt razed BY THE CITY HUB NEWS TEAM: Alex Eugene, Georgia Clark, Tommy Boutros, Dylan Crismale Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s latest backflip has created havoc for a number of Sydney councils. The shock announcement this week that the government would scrap all amalgamation plans for Councils contesting merger plans in court ensures that Woollahra Council will not be forced to merge with Waverly and Randwick Councils. Meanwhile, the announcement has left Inner West Greens and Independents enraged. In November 2015 Labor and Liberal Councilors on the former Leichhardt Council voted to submit a merger proposal rather than oppose amalgamation plans outright. That month the Labor led Councils of Marrickville and Ashfield also submitted merger plans to the State government. Two months later when the state government announced plans to merge Leichhardt, Marrickville and Ashfield Councils, the three Labor led councils opted not to go to court. In May 2016 all three Councils were sacked including Labor Mayors Darcy Byrne (Leichhardt), Lucille McKenna (Ashfield) and Sam Iskandar (Marrickville). The sacked Mayors and Councilors will now be forced to take to the polls in September to be re-elected, but fears are rife that mega powers Liberal and Labor will dominate due to the huge geographical areas that must now be covered by campaigners.

Morris Mansour, the former Mayor of Leichhardt was always against council amalgamations. Credit: Supplied

John Stamolis, an independent inner west candidate who was previously a Leichhardt councillor, hit out at the big two for causing the bungled merger. “Instead of challenging the merger, our Liberal and Labor Councillors teamed up to force the merger upon us. The case for mergers never stacked up. That’s why communities across the inner west and NSW did not want to merge, and why I voted in favour of joining other NSW Councils to challenge State Government in the courts,” he said. Mr Stamolis said that the inner west was now stuck with a “flawed and incoherent policy for our future.” “Our Council is very diverse, one part of the Inner West Council is harbourside, another part is bayside both have very different needs and urban planning considerations. Our residents want their Council to enhance and protect their local environment, their local amenity and their shopping villages,” he said. Mr Stamolis will also run as an independent in the upcoming election. He said major concerns were overdevelopment, traffic and pollution caused by the WestConnex motorworks. Rochelle Porteous, the former Mayor of Leichhardt and Greens candidate running in the upcoming election, echoed the sentiment. “Leichhardt Council would not have been forcibly amalgamated with Ashfield and Marrickville councils last year if the Labor and Liberal Councillors had not 6

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consistently voted together both against taking legal action and against giving the community the right to vote on the amalgamation.” said Rochelle Porteous, former Greens Mayor and candidate for Balmain Ward. “This forced council amalgamation happened because it suits the plans of the major parties. Both parties support WestConnex and are pro-development, so it is in their interests to reduce local elected representation and silence local voices,” she said Meanwhile, the former Mayor of Leichhardt, Morris Mansour said that in his opinion the Liberal Party had only scrapped mergers to serve their own interests. “The Government has shown its contempt for our area. Not only is it privatising our buses but now it has abandoned forced council mergers- but only to save vulnerable Liberal seats. Shame on them for trampling over the residents of the Inner West.” But Darcy Byrne the former Labor Mayor of Leichhardt made no mention of his role in realising the merger. In his own backflip, he released a statement on social media disavowing the government’s moves as betrayal and placed the blame squarely on Liberal shoulders. “Mergers will be scrapped, but only in Liberal blueribbon areas. So for non-Liberal seats, your democracy has been abolished, your councillors were sacked, you were forcibly amalgamated ant the Liberals have been running rampant in your area with WestConnex, and all the other nasty things they’ve been doing, but if you’re in a wealthy blue-ribbon Liberal area, you get looked after. This is why we need an election, and we need a strong independent council, that will stand up the NSW Liberals, and will restore the voice of inner west residents,” he said. Despite lamenting the merger as “undemocratic” in 2016, Mr Byrne resisted calls to take legal action against the state which would have saved Leichhardt Council in hindsight. Where the Inner West came apart the Eastern Suburbs succeeded; Woollahra Council emerged victorious after sticking to its guns. It had sought a high court appeal against its proposed amalgamation with Randwick and Waverley Councils into an ‘Eastern Beaches’ super Council. Councillor Dominic Wy Kanak (Greens) from Waverley Council expressed his concerns that plans for mergers are still not completely off the table. He said: “The Liberal party are probably even now trying to preselect a bunch of Waverley Council candidates who if they get elected will ‘voluntarily’ surrender their councils by voting for an amalgamation. This won’t go away until we have state legislation that the Greens have drafted which prohibits any amalgamation without first having a vote of support from the affected residents, and Commonwealth legislation where Local Government is formally recognized in the Australian Constitution. “Woollahra council spent around $1 million dollars fighting the state government in the courts while Waverley and Randwick councils spent hundreds of thousands preparing their systems for a merger. Councillors from all three councils indicated they would be putting motions forward to seek compensation from the state government. Cr. Wy Kanak said: “Every NSW council should be reimbursed for the money they’ve wasted. However, the Liberal Mayor of Waverley Sally Betts must also be held accountable for the hundreds of thousands of dollars she has wasted pushing failed amalgamation and amalgamationrelated agendas like privatising the Bondi Pavilion.” “The Community of Waverley have expressed an enormous amount of relief and gratitude that this nonsense is over for now. The great majority of residents I speak to have been against these forced mergers from day one. People are now asking how can we make the Liberal National government pay for the mess they’ve created. A slogan is going round our community, ‘Put the Liberals last’ on Local Government Election Day, 9 September.” Randwick Councillor Murray Matson (Greens) moved the motion at Randwick to commence legal proceedings earlier this year following Ku-ring-gai Council’s success. Cr. Matson said: “I did this because I interpreted that my due diligence obligation to our residents was now to explore a legal challenge because there was evidence to suggest that one might be successful after all.”

BY SATHSARA RADALIYAGODA Sydneysiders have called out the government for whitewashing the Sydney Harbour Bridge. A group of campaigners are demanding that the Aboriginal Flag is flown 365 days a year atop the structural icon, alongside the NSW and national Australian flags, which are already permanent fixtures. Cheere Toka heads a petition entitled “Fly the Aboriginal Flag atop of the Sydney Harbour Bridge permanently”, and has so far gathered almost 40,000 signatures asking that the indigenous flag is added. Currently, the only times the Aboriginal Flag is displayed is during Reconciliation week, National Aboriginal & Islanders’ Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) Week, and on the anniversary of Kevin Rudd’s 2008 apology to the Stolen Generations. Alana Mazza, a local supporter of the group, said Australia’s racist history was to blame for the appalling omission. “Australia has had a tendency to sweep its horrendous history of massacres and the stolen generations under the carpet. There’s a sense of both shame and denial, and I think these are two reasons why the flag is not atop the bridge,” she said. “It’s important as it would be a huge symbol of recognition of elders past and present, but also that this is and always will be Aboriginal land,” Ms Mazza added. MP Linda Burney, the first Aboriginal woman to serve in the House of Representatives, says displaying the flag is vital for the unity between modern and ancient Australia. “It’s not an act of defiance...that would be ridiculous, it’s an act of unity and also an act of reminding people that this is a very ancient country and has first peoples that are the traditional owners,” she said. However, Ms Burney said simply giving the indigenous flag more exposure would be satisfactory at this stage. “I’m not saying it should be there permanently, but I think it should be flying more than what it does at the moment,” she added. The Aboriginal Flag flies permanently atop the Australian Parliament House and is displayed in many schools, leaving

A petition to permanently fly the Aboriginal flag on the Harbour Bridge has gathered almost 40,000 signatures so far. Credit: Robert Linsdell (Flickr)

the Harbour Bridge as an embarrassing oversight. Scott Haywood, a spokesperson from the Sydney Region Aboriginal Corporation, believes that having the Aboriginal Flag on the Sydney Harbour Bridge is symbolic of the rights, recognition and entitlements of the Aboriginal community. “It will let people know that we were here first and that we’re still here and we still have a say about what’s happening. I think it matters because being recognised, even by something like a flag on a bridge is very important, and the more people that know it’s there and why it’s there the better it is for everyone,” he said. However, Ms Burney says that Australia is home to two significant indigenous groups, the Aboriginal community and the Torres Strait Island community who have a separate flag. “I also think it’s really important to recognise that there are two indigenous groups in Australia. The Torres Strait Aboriginals have a very beautiful and separate flag that represents them, it’s really important to recognise that,” she said. On the 28th of July, MP Melinda Pavey responded to the petition, highlighting that the Aboriginal flag is only flown periodically. The petition has now been referred to the Department of Premier and Cabinet who manage the “Protocols regarding flags flying on the Sydney Harbour Bridge”, and is still awaiting a response.

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Inner West Council race tipped to go to Greens and Labor BY GEORGIA CLARK Four months into a highly awaited round of campaigning, candidates of the Inner West Council’s Stanmore ward are vying to take the helm of one of Sydney’s most vibrant communities. With the election just weeks away, the battle is tipped to be a game-changer for the area. Political heavyweights, the Greens and Labor, are forecast to have an upper hand in the September 9 election, where three candidates will be selected for each ward. Ben Raue, an election analyst at the Tally Room, said that the area, encompassing Haberfield, Ashfield, Lilyfield, Leichhardt, Dulwich Hill, Marrickville, Sydenham, St Peters, Enmore, Stanmore and Lewisham, has previously trended towards the Greens. “That ward elected two Greens in 2004 and 2008, and then that second Green was replaced by a Liberal in 2012. Before that, the area, like all of Marrickville, was dominated by Labor. As to why, the Stanmore area is the epicentre of the progressive inner city community that first developed in areas like Newtown and has expanded further out,” he said. Previous election forecasts have speculated that the Greens and Independents would struggle under redrawn boundaries, after candidates faced a tense pre-selection battle, with the original councils taking on 36 councillors, 25 more than the redrawn council. But according to Mr Raue, the Greens and Labor will continue to have a stronghold despite the about-face. “Labor and the Greens should comfortably win

Candidates running for the Inner West Council (left to right): Pauline Lockie, Louise Steer, Anna York. Credit: Supplied

one seat each. Both parties poll well over 25% in the ward at all levels of government, and so it’s fairly certain they will win the first two seats. The third seat could go to either Labor or Greens, or progressive independent Pauline Lockie,” he said. The redrawn council areas will see candidates managing a mammoth council area and a budget of hundreds of millions, after the once separate councils were merged just over a year ago. Pauline Lockie, an Independent candidate for the Stanmore ward, said the amalgamation would not shift the progressive swing of the ward. “If anything, I think there’ll be a shift towards stronger representation of the community’s voice and values, which is why I’m standing. I’ve already got a strong track record of defending and supporting the interests of my community.

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I think that’s what people want of their local representatives, and this is my commitment to them,” she said. Candidates have high hopes for Stanmore, hoping to usher in a new era of change after sweeping reforms of the council boundaries shook up the council area. Greens candidate for the Stanmore ward, Louise Steer, is set to continue to show fervent opposition to Westconnex. Ms Steer is also set to rally to restore democracy to the community, which has been governed by an administrator for the past 18 months. “[The Greens are] committed to finding beneficial solutions to the affordable housing problem in the inner west, preserving local green spaces, and protecting the community

against the destructive Westconnex toll road project. “The Greens are also committed to holding a plebiscite after the local council election asking voters whether they would like to de-amalgamate Inner West Council and reinstate the former local councils of Marrickville, Ashfield and Leichhardt,” she said. Ms Lockie has also been campaigning against the Westconnex development, a concern which she says is one of the most pressing issues in the area. “If people vote for me, I promise to keep fighting for our community against WestConnex, just as I have already been doing as a founding member of the WestCONnex Action Group. I’ll push for increased childcare and public school places. “I’ll also be campaigning for better active and public transport, and for greater transparency and community involvement in planning processes. I’ll work with small businesses, artists and creatives, and local organisations to keep our unique inner west industries thriving,” she said. Labor candidate, Anna York, is campaigning for strong social and cultural services in the area, with a focus on support for working parents, improving public infrastructure, making the area accessible, advocating sustainability and fighting bus privatisation and Westconnex. With just weeks to go until the election, candidates are demanding action as Premier Gladys Berejiklian scraps outstanding council amalgamations across Sydney, sparking a backlash in the Inner West.

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city hub 3 AUGUST 2017

Call for answers: black death in custody unresolved

BY ALEC SMART Last Friday campaigners and relatives of David DDavid Dungay died in prison in 2015 after allegedly being manhandled by prison officials. Last Friday campaigners and his relatives rallied outside the Parliament of NSW building in Macquarie Street to demand a public inquiry. The young man died of alleged “unascertained” causes in prison in 2015, having been manhandled just minutes before he took his last breath. The case is far from simple, and his autopsy raised more questions than answers. On 29 December 2015, most families in Australia were enjoying the festive season together, looking forward to the forthcoming New Year. Likewise, the Dungay family of Kempsey was in buoyant spirits. Their beloved son, uncle, brother, cousin, father David was three weeks away from release after serving seven years in Long Bay penitentiary in Matraville, Sydney. The 26 year old member of the Dhunghutti Aboriginal community endured a troubled childhood, and mental health problems including paranoid schizophrenia. Rather than receiving years of professional support, he was punished for transgressing society’s laws at a younger age. Diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at the age of six, David was in a solo cell in the hospital wing of Long Bay Prison, eating a packet of Tim Tams to top up his blood sugar levels on the evening of 29 December 2015. His mother, Leetona, explains the subsequent incident that would scar her forever. “A prison officer saw David eating biscuits in his cell. The officer, who knew David was a diabetic, ordered him to stop eating them, but David was unable to comply with his order.” According to a leaked report from the NSW Health Department and reported in September 2016 by PM, ABC Radio’s flagship current-affairs program, the officer then decided David was ‘combative’ and ‘increasingly aggressive’. The Corrective Services relocated David to a different cell equipped with CCTV coverage, so he could be better monitored, and summoned an Immediate Action Team – a SWAT-style unit

Campaigners and family of David Dungay rallied to have his death in custody investigated. Credit: Alec Smart

trained to employ maximum force - to perform a ‘cell extraction’ on David. A team of guards decked in riot gear then advanced on David, restrained him and carried him to the other cell. David was pinned face down on the bed mattress while a nurse injected him with a sedative, midazolam hydrochloride. “My son was then overpowered and restrained by at least four officers applying force in an open cell,” said Leetona. “David yelled out to them, “I can’t breathe!” These were David’s last words. It appears David’s cry for help went unnoticed by the IAT officers subduing him, because he subsequently suffocated and, at 3.42pm, after 40 minutes of cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, ambulance officers declared him dead. An autopsy report performed by pathologist Kendall Bailey, which was leaked to ABC Radio’s PM program, reveals that soon after he was injected, David’s face turned purple, and the 26-year-old stopped breathing. According to the leaked report, the officers’ response to David’s cry of help was: ‘if

he can still talk, he must be able to breathe.’ Midazolam is a quick-acting sedative which produces a calming effect on the brain and central nervous system, causing sleepiness and muscle relaxation. Marketed under the trade name Versed, midazolam is a medication used commonly in hospitals for reducing anxiety and relaxing a patient prepared for surgery, before anaesthesia. However, according to the drugs information website, Drugs.com, midazolam “may cause severe breathing problems (e.g., respiratory depression, respiratory arrest), especially when used for sedation in noncritical care settings. The guidelines state: “Respiratory depression and respiratory arrest could result in brain damage or death if not treated properly. Midazolam should only be used under appropriate close medical supervision.” The autopsy report, while stating the cause of David’s death was ‘unascertained’, admits that ‘several abnormalities’ may have been contributory factors.

Among those listed were the physical force used by the IAT guards during the cell extraction, that David’s neck was compressed, and that he was twice placed in a face down position that might have restricted his breathing. “The compression of the torso in a prone position may reduce the air entry into the lungs. This may result in hypoxia/cardiac arrest,” the report stated. The autopsy also found the presence of food in David’s lungs, possibly the result of vomit being forced back into his airways during the 40-minute CPR attempt at reviving David, and it concluded it could not be ruled out as a contributing factor. “David died at the hands of Corrective Services officers and their contractors,” said the family solicitor, Professor George Newhouse, of the National Justice Project. “Serious questions must be asked of the NSW Department of Corrective Services about their treatment of David on that day.” Pr Newhouse hopes that any prison officer found responsible for David’s death be held accountable, although the officers involved returned to duty and none were suspended during the Corrective Services NSW internal investigation. “The Dungay family want changes made in the healthcare system and in the way cell extractions are undertaken to make sure no one ever dies in this way again,” Professor Newhouse said. Speaking at the rally, Leetona Dungay said, “We are all here today to get some answers from the NSW Government. “David was in a hospital wing inside the prison, so where was all the equipment to help save his life, and where were the doctors and nurses at the time of his death? Didn’t they have a duty of care to look after him? What were the Correctional Services officers doing? Was it neglect? Or something else? “I am his mother, and I want justice, and I want the truth.” The matter is still before the State Coroner, although no date has been set for an inquest, despite 17 months elapsing since David’s death. It will likely get a hearing later this year or early 2018.

“Bondi” owned by American firm

Mayor Sally Betts is fighting to protect the name of Bondi as intellectual property. Credit: Supplied

BY MEL SOMERVILLE A local Bondi business has been involved in a dispute with a United States clothing giant, prompting Waverley Mayor Sally Betts to step in. Cosmetic and home products business Bondi Wash is fighting over a trademark of the word ‘Bondi’ with US clothing giant Abercrombie & Fitch. The US retailer (which does not operate in Australia) is the registered owner of trademark for ‘Bondi Beach’ in the US. When Bondi Wash applied to trademark its name in the US they 10

city hub 3 AUGUST 2017

were prevented due to the similarity of the name to that which Abercrombie & Fitch owned. Waverley Mayor Sally Betts told The Daily Telegraph “It’s an Australian beach so I don’t believe anyone in another country or another country should be able to trademark it.” “I’m assuming in Australia we are not allowed to trademark New York. “It’s disappointing because people who run a business in Bondi and have a wonderful product they want to sell in the US, are unable to trademark their own product.”

A statement from Waverley Council said: “The Mayor, Sally Betts has discussed the matter with the office of The Hon Craig Laundy MP, Assistant Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science whose role it is to look after ‘intellectual property’.” “A letter is in the process of being drafted to Abercrombie and Fitch, asking them to voluntarily relinquish its trademark on Bondi Beach. This letter will be finalised next week.” An expert in trade mark Law from the University of Technology, Sydney, Professor Isabella Alexander said that Waverly Council can always ask A & F to relinquish the mark but that Mayor Betts has got no legal standing to insist upon that “You can just appeal to their good will” Professor Alexander added. She said: “It’s very difficult for small businesses like Bondi Wash, especially when a company like Abercrombie & Fitch opposes your mark and have more resources and it’s even worse if you’re doing it overseas because you’re not in the jurisdiction, you don’t have the same access to legal help and information. It makes it very difficult to deal with this issue of global branding when you come up against a big company.” “A & F would probably have Trademark Attorneys working for them who would say no, don’t do it. It would be unlikely to relinquish the trademark unless they weren’t using it anymore.” The efforts by Waverley Council to assist

Bondi Wash in the matter follow a failed challenge by the retailer last year to challenge Abercrombie & Fitch’s claim over the trademark (and similar marks) on the grounds it believed the US company was no longer using the trademark. In its petition to the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Bondi Wash stated: “Use of the marks ... has been discontinued with the intent not to resume such use. Thus the Registrant has abandoned its trademarks.” Abercrombie & Fitch did not back down responding: “Abercrombie & Fitch respectfully requests that [Bondi Wash’s] petition for cancellation be dismissed in its entirety, and that registration be denied.” Last month, Bondi Wash withdrew its petition in the US and is pursuing alternative classification for its trademark in different categories. Professor Alexander said: “This case illustrates the problem of global branding. You can get your rights secured in one country and then you expand into another market and you find someone else happily operating using a trademark that is similar in name to yours…It’s a consequence of the way that goods now move around the world, crossing boundaries easily and quickly. Abercrombie & Fitch did have an outlet at Bondi Junction Westfield and one in Melbourne, but exited Australia in 2015 due to falling sales. Waverley Council’s letter to Abercrombie & Fitch will be finalised this week.

FEATURE

Dead Men Talking

By Mel Somerville Warren Fahey teams up with Max Cullen, in their show Dead Men Talking, a salute to Australia’s best-known poets, Banjo Paterson and Henry Lawson who have stood the test of time, both ending up on the $10 bill. This is the show’s third season in Sydney and this time they are doing it differently, taking the show to non-traditional venues. The lively one act show finds the two legendary literary figures having a casual drink at the Leviticus Bar & Grill, Heaven’s Gate, and yarning about their legacies. Dead Men Talking is aimed at older Australians, people who know the impact of Paterson and Lawson on the Australian story. Fahey wants to remind Australians about their past and to get people excited about it. “Through this performance people can discover their national identity. Without these stories about pioneering we wouldn’t really know who we are,” he said. A historian will use all sorts of facts and figures but Dead Men Talking colours people’s imagination. Part of the stage show is picking the warts, it’s not all pretty, there is tension as they recreate the characters. But a bit of magic happens, and through the use of songs, stories and poems, signposts to Australian history. Part of the thread of the discussion is how different the two characters were. They were poles apart socially. Paterson (played by Fahey) had a fortunate life whereas Lawson’s (played by Cullen) was tragic. Today he would be diagnosed as bi-polar, intoxicated most of the time, a broken man, yet he put out an amazing catalogue of work that still stands up today. He had great success but never had any money. He’d go to pubs and write a poem on a drinking mat if you bought him a drink.

People assume Paterson was a bit of a “toss” because he was a successful lawyer. He’d had such success with Waltzing Matilda and The Man From Snowy River. When Lawson started to write as a young man he went to Paterson for legal advice, on how to deal with publishers. People thought they were enemies because they had the infamous War of Words in The Bulletin magazine where they made fun of each other and tried to trip each other up.

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Dead Men Walking is a political piece, it’s hard not to look at a window of the 19th and early 20th century without bringing in unionism, particularly the shearers strike of the 1890s. Lawson was a socialist and a republican. We know Paterson was supportive of unionism because his father had gone bust on the land twice so he had seen some hard times. The show has brought people together, especially in the rural towns that have seen rough times; during

the drought when there were more suicides. “People who came said it’s been a long time since the town got together and had a laugh. We did a show on Flinders Island and half the town turned up,” said Fahey. Although he’s never lived in the bush, Fahey has something of a relationship with it, having spent years there touring. He’s crossed the country, been to every corner. “I am a city slicker, I am Paddington born and Paddington bred, strong in the arm and weak in the head,” said Fahey, borrowing a line of poetry from his father, who he interviewed when he was in his 80s for his oral history recordings, undertaken for the National Library. Fahey’s career in Australiana and as a collector of folklore and history, began at 21 when he started doing book reviews for ABC radio. He went on to produce radio series, mainly on Australian history. That led to books about the bush, like Classic Bush Yarns, Australian music and our convicts and settlers. He’s a prolific author, having recently released his 30th book, he owned Folkways Music on Oxford Street Paddington for 20 years, started record label Larrikin Records and sings with folk band The Larrikins. Distinguished actor Max Cullen’s film credits include The Great Gatsby (2013), X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) and Australia (2008).

Dead Men Talking

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city hub 3 AUGUST 2017

Featuring an all Australian cast, the live theatre show of the much loved picture book We’re Going On a Bear Hunt - by Michael Rosen and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury, promises songs, laughter, music and rhymes. Packed with puppetry, a bit of mud and of course a bear, it will be an outing for little kids and big kids alike. For just two performances on August 8, the UK production of We’re Going On A Bear Hunt, comes to the Enmore Theatre straight from its international tour with sold out performances in Melbourne, Brisbane and the Sydney Opera House. Originally directed by Sally Cookson with a whimsical musical score by Benji Bower, We’re Going On a Bear Hunt is an interactive theatre show with mischievous songs that will transport audiences to a river, forest and cave without having to step too far out the door. “This production takes everyone on the journey - not under, not over, oh no - through it! - In a funny, exuberant and loving way. This is a must-go show.” Rosen said. Tag along with a fearless family of adventurers and their musical dog through the swishy swashy splishy splashy squealchy wilderness. If it’s a bear you’re after, you might even catch a big one! (SH) August 8, 10am & 11:45am. Enmore theatre, 118-132 Enmore Rd, Newtown. $32.85-$37.95+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.enmoretheatre.com.au or Ph: 02 9550 3666

Technicolor Life Nyssa Hamilton. Photo: Katy Green Loughey

The award-winning US play Technicolor Life by Jami Brandli follows a family who in spite of all the odds, come together through difficult times. Looking through a female perspective, Technicolor Life explores how the family manages when Billie, a female soldier returns from the Iraq war. The play depicts her struggles with re-entering civilian life as she suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. When Maxine, her younger sister begins to feel lost, her imaginary friends from the 1950s technicolor movies help guide her, along with her

grandmother and distant mother. Actor for Maxine, Nyssa Hamilton said: “The play looks at issues we see in a lot of families, but from the female perspective which we obviously don’t really see in much theatre… there are dark themes dealt with in the play, but it is really a celebration of how women can come together and build each other up to get through it.” With a larger cast than your average play and set in an American suburb, this play has musical numbers, with characters coming to life from the 1950s movie Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. “They are spectacular and they wear the same costumes as in the movie… they embody these 1950s characters from this technicolor movie and it is something you’ve never seen before in a play where it’s a straight play, but there is also this interesting thing where a movie comes to life at the same time…” Hamilton said. This performance is darkly comic, but it’s a celebration of women uniting to deal with the darkness life throws at them. “There is a lot of joy in the play and I hope that audiences leave feeling uplifted and hopeful, seeing the happier side of life,” Hamilton concluded. (JM) Until Aug 12.The Depot Theatre, 142 Addison Rd, Marrickville.Tickets: $27-$32. Tickets & Info: www.trybooking.com

a&e

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12 STAGE 13 SCENE 14 Sounds 15 SCREEN

One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest Many people know the Ken Kesey bestseller, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest through its adaptation into the multi award winning 1975 film starring Jack Nicholson. However, a year after the book was first published (1962) it was adapted successfully for stage and has continued to be produced as a play ever since. Sport For Jove will breath it into life again this month for a short season at the Seymour Centre, with Anthony Gooley playing the cunning, incorrigible RP McMurphy. The story takes place in a the early 1960s in an American mental hospital. McMurphy, a chronic criminal, has pleaded insanity to avoid prison and instead serve time in what he mistakenly believes will be a much cushier environment. But in the stark, windowless institution, the sharp witted, high spirited McMurphy is frustrated by his less mentally capable inmates and his sub-ordinance to the austere Nurse Ratched. “It’s a psychological battle between the two of them...it’s sort of a chess match, a one-upmanship,” says Gooley of the tense psychological battle between McMurphy and Nurse Ratched. He describes the story as being “thrilling with amazing confrontational moments.” Although the medical practices described are outdated now,

Gooley believes the play remains relevant today as a commentary on systemic oppression and how society treats those perceived to be “different.” It also questions the very definition of sanity. Using a minimal set and certain theatrical elements, designer Isabel Hudson aims to create an abstract, surreal mood. Director Kim Hardwick adds to the sense of strangeness by casting Wendy Strehlow in the male role of Cheswick. Gooley acknowledges the indelible impression made by Nicholson in the movie version, and prefers to work with it, rather than against it. “His performance in that film is so iconic and [Nicholson] is such an idiosyncratic kind of personality…he so embodied the character that if you try and be too different then you start to become something other than RP McMurphy.” (RB) Aug 3-19, 7:30pm. Seymour Centre, Cnr City Rd & Cleveland St, Chippendale. $25-$44+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.seymourcentre.com

Dry Land

Dry Land spotlights women in the lead with a story about friendship and the struggles of adolescence. Written by Ruby Rae Spiegel when she was 21, this American play hits the stage at the Kings Cross Theatre for its Australian Premiere, presented by Outhouse Theatre Company and Mad March Hare. Set in the high school locker room of two aspiring swimmers Amy and Ester, the play traverses concepts surrounding fear, sexuality and growing up. Sarah Meacham, who plays Ester, has enjoyed sinking into a body of work which gives a rounded and three dimensional perspective on young women. “Ruby gives such density and complexity to these young women which is so honest and fresh.” she said. The play touches on the territory of DIY abortion but is as much about change, independence and the universal challenges faced by young adults as it is about a specific situation. “I think audiences should expect to be uncomfortable in a necessary way.” Meacham said. “They’re going to have this weird feeling of wanting to jump on stage and stand next to the actors because when you see someone so vulnerable, you just want to be with them.” “But at the same time I’m sure audiences will

Arts Editor: Jamie Apps For more A&E stories go to www.altmedia.net.au and don’t forget to join the conversation on Twitter at @AltMediaSydney

Patricia Pemberton & Sarah Meacham. Photo: Michael Booth

Bear Hunt

Photo: Marnya Rothe

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

be thinking about how close the exit is. And I think the fact that they feel both of those feelings is so important.” Dry Land dips into conversations that we might naturally shy away from. It is a play about young women attempting to find their feet, and about the bond between two friends who have found each other in circumstances where they need each other the most. “There’s also this beautiful lightness in the humour to the whole script. And that freshness is such a breath throughout the whole play.” Meacham said. (SH) Until Aug 19. Kings X Theatre. 2/244–248 William St, Kings Cross. $25- $35. Tickets & Info: www.kingsxtheatre.com

Contributors: Alannah Maher, Alicia Sim, Athina Mallis, Barbara Karpinski, Caitlin Burns, Chantal Walsh, Craig Coventry, Daniel Jaramillo, Emily Shen, Georgia Fullerton, Greg Webster, Irina Dunn, Jade Morellini, James Harkness, Joseph Rana, Leann Richards, Lisa Seltzer, Mark Morellini, Mel Somerville, Olga Azar, Peter Urquhart, Rita Bratovich, Rocio Belinda Mendez, Sarah Pritchard, Shon Ho, Zeiya Speede, Jade Morellini,Vanessa Powell, Olivia Lyle, Alex Eugene, Ellouise Bailey, Manuel Gonzalez, Tommy Boutros.

REVIEW: Rice Photo: Brett Boardman

Michele Lee’s fast-paced two-hander Rice is carried off with great energy by the charismatic Kristy Best, who plays the workaholic Executive Officer Nisha, and Hsiao-Ling Tang, who plays her long-suffering cleaner Yvette, who runs her own business and has a troublesome daughter Sheree, also played by Best. An employee of Golden Fields, Nisha is trying to establish herself as a serious player by securing an export rice deal with India when the local rice crops fail.Yvette is trying to establish her own business but is distracted by her daughter, who gets into trouble after protesting against Coles’ food practices. The two strike up an unusual

friendship after initial conflict about food waste in the office as each finds an interested listener in the other. The complex narrative also involves several other dramatis personae which Best and Hsiao-Ling carry off with great aplomb, changing character instantaneously and picking up the threads of the narrative without missing a beat. Director Lee Lewis allows Lee’s script to shine in this high-speed comedy which raises serious questions of global food production, a female perspective on ethical issues and, at the core of the play, the interpersonal relationships on which trust and ethics are founded. All this is enacted on a miniscule stage which expands or contracts depending on whether it is Nisha’s office or the board room of the Indian Minister. It’s not surprising that Rice won the Queensland Premier’s Drama Award for 2016-17. It’s a polished work which allows for easy productions, with a small cast, and few stage and costume requirements. All it requires are two confident actors with great delivery to carry it off! (ID) Until Aug 26. SBW Stables Theatre, 10 Nimrod Street, Kings Cross. $20-$55+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.griffintheatre.com.au

Miss Saigon

Staging a musical is no mean feat, especially for a semiamateur theatre company, yet Packemin Productions has ambitiously and successfully staged some of the biggest. Their current production, Miss Saigon, will certainly test their mettle. This musical was the follow-up to Les Miserables for creators Schonberg and Boublil, and is modelled on Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. The story and setting have the same cinematic scope as Les Mis and the songs are equally operatic, energetic and emotionally charged. Lead roles in this production will be handled by experienced performers, however the ensemble, minor characters and understudies will include many novices. Iosefa Laga’aia is in the ensemble and is also understudy for the part of John. While he has an impressive pedigree (being son of children’s

THE NAKED CITY

IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER

With Coffin Ed Once again there’s been controversy over the judges’ decision in the awarding of the winning portrait in this year’s Archibald Prize. Mitch Cairns’ painting of his partner Agatha Gothe-Snape drew considerable flack from a number of fellow artists including John Olsen who described the work in the Trump like dismissal “very bad”. Well it wouldn’t be the Archibald if there wasn’t a bit of artistic argy bargy with the tradition going right back to 1943 when William Dobell’s winning portrait of fellow artist Joshua Smith was the object of a massive brouhaha. Branded a caricature and not a genuine portrait, it was described by another Archibald entrant, Mary Edwards as “a Pearl Harbour attack on art”. These days the same portrait is regarded as an Australian classic and would hardly raise a critical

eyebrow if it was entered today. Tastes certainly change over the years and what applies to so called “good taste” equally applies to that deemed “bad.” Back in the 50s and 60s in Australia it was popular for many families to hang prints of well known works in their lounge rooms. Paintings such as The Stag At Bay and Hunting Dogs At Dawn evoked our Anglo heritage and lovingly graced the mantelpiece of many a suburban bungalow. Those with a more ‘enlightened’ appreciation of art chose prints by artists such as Drysdale, Modigliani and Miro to compliment their chic modernist furniture. A real snobbery existed and those with the so called quality prints looked down at anybody hanging a Green Lady painting with utter disdain. Even more contemptible on the part of the arty set, was the phenomenon of “painting by numbers” whereby families would

recreate works by Da Vinci and other old masters simply by daubing in the numbers.You could whip up your own Mona Lisa in an afternoon with everybody from the kiddies to grandma have a daub. When it came to ‘people’s’ art of the twentieth I personally don’t think you can go past the genius of the anthropomorphic, Cassius Marcellus Coolidge. The American artist who lived from 1844 to 1934 gave us that brilliant series of dogs playing poker, which has since spawned a rash of imitators including dogs playing pool. These days his paintings have been mass produced in their thousands, popular in dive bars, man caves and the bedrooms of teenage boys. Call them trash if you like, but in 2015 Coolidge’s 1984 Poker Game realised a cool $658,000 (US) at a Sotherby’s auction in New York. Perhaps Coolidge’s world of the anthropomorphic could be embraced by artists in next year’s Archibald with a number of the usual rash of celebrity sitters portrayed as bulldogs or any number of canine breeds. And why not a retrospective exhibition of Coolidge’s entire output, something to rival Melbourne’s incredible Van Gough exhibition. Surely punters from all across the country would flock to such an event at the Art Gallery of NSW with a giant man (and woman) cave created to host the collection. Meanwhile I have just purchased my own painting by numbers kit of dogs playing poker and I am looking forward to many a creative afternoon.

Kristy Hopper and Marcus Rivera

music sensation, Jay) this is the first major musical for Laga’aia and he’s not underestimating the challenge. “It is a massive musical and it does demand a lot from you vocally,” he admits.Three months rehearsal, coaching from his singing teacher and lots of researching and analysing have helped bolster his confidence. Having seasoned performers as part of the troupe has been very helpful. “Watching the way that they work, watching how they perform, seeing the way that they exercise their craft and the way they make every performance just art in and of itself is always inspiring to watch... always makes you want to be better,” says Laga’aia.

Carl De Villa has performed in pop bands for around twenty years, but this is only his second big musical. “It’s a big shift going to this kind of role where you have to control your voice, have some kind of dynamics with your voice... at the same time acting,” he says. He has no specific training in musical theatre but was told by a director that he was “a natural.” De Villa is understudy for the role of Thuy and also performs various minor parts. He has approached it with rigour, researching exhaustively and seeking feedback from the other performers, in particular David Ouch who plays Thuy and whom he affectionately calls his “stage father.” By all accounts, it is a high end production with impressive choreography, sets, musicians, lighting and cast. Don’t “miss” it! (RB) Until Aug 12. Riverside Theatres, Cnr Church and Market Sts, Parramatta. $25-$49+B.F. Tickets & Info: www. riversideparramatta.com.au

Sydney Science Festival

Not really into science? Then you probably wouldn’t be interested in a botanics distillery; or how your brain processes fake news; or getting tips on photographing the night sky; or knowing how to get away with murder; or any of the broad and intriguing range of talks, workshops and exhibitions on offer (mostly free) during this year’s Sydney Science Festival. “What we want to do is show people that science is something that you use everyday of your life and that it can be fun,” says Professor Shari Forbes, world-renowned forensic scientist and Ambassador for the festival. As well as helping to promote the festival, Prof. Forbes will be giving a talk on her specialty field - the study of decomposition of human bodies. It may sound morbid, but Cracking The World Of Forensics is a remarkable insight into forensic science given in an entertaining, easy to understand presentation. There will be lots of images and intricate detail, but it won’t be too graphic - or “not too CSI,” as Prof. Forbes puts it - just utterly fascinating. Bodies are donated (with full knowledge and consent from families) to a “body farm.” “It’s what we call an outdoor laboratory but it is just a natural bushland environment typical of Sydney,” explains Prof. Forbes. They may be left on the ground surface to mimic an unfortunate bushwalker or buried

in a shallow grave to imitate a homicide. Then they are observed to see what happens. Prof. Forbes also works with cadaver dogs to understand how they locate human remains. “I came to forensics because at high school I loved science and I wanted to study science that had a clear application,” Prof Forbes says of her unusual career choice.At university “there was a project listed to study why bodies were not decomposing in a cemetery in Sydney…nobody else picked that except for me because I thought it was just fascinating - it was a real puzzle and that’s what forensic science is about.” It ultimately led to her becoming a recognised and frequently called upon forensic investigator. During her talks she invites questions from the audience which invariably include common urban myths: Is it true that the body can grow hair or that the nails keep growing after death? Does your body decompose if you’re on antibiotics when you die? Does eating McDonalds preserve your body? Among her many discoveries, one in particular stands out: “I discovered why those bodies [in the cemetery] weren’t decomposing…” (RB) Sydney Science Festival. Aug 8-20. Info: www.sydneyscience.com.au/2017 Cracking The World Of Forensics. Aug 11. 6:30-8:30pm. $8-$32. city hub 3 AUGUST 2017

Live Music Guide LIVE WIRE Sydney By Jamie Apps

Elko Fields

G-Dragon

Minus The Bear: Over the course of their 15-year career, Seattle band Minus The Bear have made music on their own terms while carving out their own unique musical world, which they will be bringing to Sydney tonight. Thu, Aug 3, Oxford Art Factory Steve Hackett: As the powerhouse guitarist for Genesis, inarguably one of the most important progressive rock bands ever, Hackett has been a guiding influence for musicians and guitarists for over 40 years. For this show Hackett will be performing from his vast Genesis and also solo catalogue of songs. Fri, Aug 4, Enmore Theatre Dear Seattle: This Sydney band have been shaking up the live music scene and crowdsurfing their way across Australia all year, and now they return home to celebrate the release of their new self-titled EP. Fri, Aug 4, Brighton Up Bar G-Dragon: The South Korean sensation who has been touted as one of the countries most influential leaders in music and fashion will be making his way to Sydney this weekend. Experience one of the greatest K-Pop acts touring the world at the moment. Sat, Aug 5, QUDOS Bank Arena Ceres: Celebrating the release of their new 7-inch Stretch Ur Skin vinyl Melbourne heart throbs Ceres return to Sydney this

weekend. For the Sydney show they will be supported by Slowly Slowly. Sat, Aug 5,The Lansdowne Stepson: A five piece melodichardcore band from Brisbane that pride themselves on having high energy, honest lyrics and raw, emotive music. Now following the release of their latest single, Come With Me, the band are hitting the road and arrive in Sydney this weekend. Sun, Aug 6, Bald Faced Stag Taryn Fiebig & The Australian Art Quartet: Helpmann Award-winning soprano Taryn Fiebig is one of Australia’s most popular and versatile artists. Taryn has performed with all the major Australian opera companies. Tonight she joins The Australian Art Quartet at the Yellow House Gallery to create a rare chance to see this phenomenal voice in an intimate setting. Tue, Aug 8, Yellow House Gallery The Merchants of Helsinki: The seemingly unlikely but completely charming piece The Merchants of Helsinki is to be performed for the first time at the Seymour Centre. This show is a special recreation of a 1930s Yiddish-Finnish cabaret, lovingly restored by a group of Sydney and UK academics. Wed, Aug 9, Seymour Centre The Sound Lounge

By Jamie Apps Who knows what they’ve been putting into the water in Queensland but whatever it is it’s been creating some of Australia’s hottest rising talents in Australian music for the past couple of years, the latest of which being Elko Fields. Elko Fields is a two-piece rock band fronted by guitarist/bassist and vocalist Kella Vee who is backed by drummer Jhindu Lawrie. For Kella, who had previously been a member of a four-piece band, the transition to a two-piece was about embracing the challenge as an artist. “At that time I was listening to a lot of two piece rock bands such as The Black Keys, Deep Valley and The Kills so I was really inspired and influenced by them and wanted to try to do something similar.”

Marguerite Montes – All the Time in the World This album is aptly named. All the Time in the World has a leisurely feel unhurried by time or duty. The lyrics and the music meet in a place where they are happy to wait for the subject of the songs, he can take his time because there is no end to it. This album is pleasant to listen to or just to have playing, with it in the background the listener can allow it to seep into their subconscious affecting the way they feel and respond to everything around them without announcing its intention. Marguerite Montes allows what will be, to come in its own time and in the mean time the listener can melt in her sultry tones, bask in her unending philosophy and remain for an unspecified amount of time, soaking in its lovely accompaniment. (SP) WW1/2 14

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Early in the life of Elko Fields they captured the attention of Powderfinger’s Ian Haug who would then go on to invite them to record at his Airlock Studios and sign to his label Airlock Records. “It’s incredible, it really is.” says Kella when asked how it feels to have someone like Ian believe in the band, “Ian’s one of these people in the industry who is willing to share their story and experience to support up and coming musicians. He still has that drive and passion for music which is really nice to see.” This week Kella and Jhindu are returning to Sydney for two shows in celebration of the release of their debut EP on vinyl. “We’re really pumped to come back

to Sydney. We were down there in November and were blown away by the crowd last time, especially since it was Wednesday night but it was still absolutely packed and everybody was so receptive and incredibly supportive of our sound.” When asked to describe an Elko Fields live show Kella says, “The show is a racket, it’s two people making as much noise as they possible can within the rock genre.” Hopefully Sydney is prepared for the Elko Fields onslaught! Aug 5. Frankie’s Pizza, 50 Hunter St, Sydney. Aug 9. Brighton Up Bar, Level 1, 77 Oxford St., Darlinghurst. $10 Tickets & Info: www.elkofields.com

Raised By Eagles I Must Be Somewhere I Must Be Somewhere keeps a slow and considered pace throughout the album. Raised By Eagles plays leisurely through the ten tracks, committing to the time and the place, allowing the listener to commit to it too. From start to finish, the album slows down the time inside and outside of it, making it difficult for the listener to move or think more quickly than the set pace. Sadness prevails, trailing through the songs, each spiked with regret against a constant beat. Themes of gambling and love shine through, telling a story of which the listener already knows the outcome. Persistently downbeat, the album is mood affecting, bringing the listener into their story, shaping their perception and colouring their response with the darker shades. The band helps the listener out of the album with a tone lift, songs like these are deep and build on that depth when played consecutively. Should be used sparingly. WWW1/2

The Big Sick

A screenplay of the most formative years of their relationship, Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon bring The Big Sick to screens around Australia. It is a romantic comedy tackling love across intercultural borders. Kumail is a Pakistani stand up comedian who meets Emily, an American graduate student at one of his shows. Both the dialogue and script have a natural fluidity to them which make the viewer feel as though they are getting an intimate insight into the real-life relationship of the couple. It is a personal look into the clear bond that is shared by the two. A defining motion and cinematic climax comes when Emily and Kumail are forced to face the challenging reality of coming to

terms with the traditional values held by his Islamic Pakistani family. They must question the future of their life as a couple as Kumail finds himself torn between their blossoming relationship and his parents. When Emily is struck down with illness and falls into a coma, Kumail begins to develop an unlikely bond with her parents. The character development throughout the film is both humorous and intelligent, leaving the viewer to be both entertained and challenged. This is a film that counters cultural prejudices in an effortlessly humorous way. The film is charming and sweet and doesn’t leave you with any ounce of bitterness. (EB) WWWW

KIKI, LOVE TO LOVE

Sex sells, therefore it’s not difficult to comprehend why this provocative comedy was such a hit at the recent Spanish Film Festival. Vibrant and intensively sexual the story surrounds the relationships and paraphilia of many couples, where open-minded movie-goers will inadvertently learn everything about sex which they were previously too afraid to ask. From the opening scene audiences will be entertained (or more aptly shocked?) by the character’s candid verbal bombardments on sexual issues concerning orgasms, oral sex, masturbation and their strange sexual arousals from plants, men crying, robbery and even certain fabrics!

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Occasionally comedic, these character’s sexual peculiarities may frequently be off-putting and far from arousing, as the writers have digressed from making audiences laugh through pure humour with dialogue which on many occasions classifies as verbal filth. There’s nothing left to suggestion in this cinematic oddity which breaks boundaries, however, if audiences can magically leave their inhibitions at the door and ‘survive’ the opening 20 minutes, they may just be smitten by the attractive cast and a story with emerging themes of love and the importance of stable relationships. (MMo) WWW

The Trip To Spain

This is a third in a series of “The Trip” films written and directed by Michael Winterbottom and starring Steven Coogan and Rob Brydon as themselves.The premise, plot points, and much of the humour, are very similar to its predecessors, with the backdrop of The Trip To Spain being the most distinguishable change.That however, is not a criticism. Coogan is a writer, Brydon is a food critic, and both come together for a five day trip through Spain. Most of the film is a succession of smoothly executed,Vaudevillian style routines in which

Brydon and Coogan volley jokes and impressions at each other with equal amounts of affection and vitriol.These usually take place during a meal at a number of fine provincial restaurants, with salaciously exquisite food preparation shots interspersed. If the entire film had comprised just these routines, it would have held up (though perhaps not for non-fans for whom the banter might have worn thin). But it has been filled out with a story line that doesn’t quite snap in place. Still, very much worth the trip to the cinema. (RB) WWW1/2

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