MAYLANDS Labor MP Lisa Baker will find it tougher to hold her seat following proposed changes to electoral boundaries. Under a WA electoral commission proposal, portions of Dianella will come into Maylands while Inglewood comes out. ABC electoral guru Antony Green reckons Labor’s safety margin will fall from 3.1 to 1.9 per cent. Ms Baker…

A LOCAL gallery has come to the aid of artist John Cartwright after 1000 of his paintings were lost when his Inglewood studio went up in flames last week. Cartwright, renowned for his landscapes of south-west WA, lost nearly his entire life works when a wood heater in his studio set the building ablaze. The…

A SCHEME that penalises shops for not having enough parking is likely to be reviewed. Vincent mayor John Carey says his city’s parking-in-lieu scheme, where applicants pay $5400 for every bay they fail to provide, is resulting in “perverse outcomes”. He notes offices don’t attract the fee but shops do, resulting in developers installing boring…

THE heritage-listed Polish Catholic Centre in Maylands will get a $300,000 makeover. Father Tomasz Bujakowski says the money will go towards a disabled access ramp, a new roof and re-wiring. “The hall is used by several community groups, including Alcoholics Anonymous and the children’s choir,” he says. “So the repairs and upgrades will benefit a…

PERTH city councillors face making some tough calls at their next meeting over how to spend your money. No doubt the thousands of dollars in free tickets they stand to receive will play no part in the decision-making process. At the next meeting the council will consider whether to spend: • $55,000 for WA Ballet…

• THE Leederville Farmers Markets won its new spot at the Frame Court carpark in the prime heart of Leederville, but the organisers didn’t have any luck getting Vincent council to lower the $20,000 annual rental fee. Market operator Paul Ashbolt was hoping for a bit of reprieve in moving from a private carpark to a…

ARTIST Mel McVee credits hearty Italian sausages with getting her through wet 10-hour days while painting her stunning mural on the wall of Mondo Butchers. The artist had been up against some foul weather but managed to complete the giant Inglewood mural on schedule in five days. McVee says the colourful mural is an homage…

THE man behind the Leederville Carnival will run for Vincent council at October’s election. Jimmy Murphy, 34, has helped build a growing turnout to the carnival since 2012, and helped get the Mount Hawthorn festival off the ground. Known as “Lips” to buddies in the Funk Club, which he founded in Leederville nigh on 15…

WA GAME developers have welcomed a Senate inquiry into their industry. The inquiry was secured by WA Greens senator Scott Ludlam, in response to Screen Australia shutting down its $20 million interactive games fund following federal government cuts. “Internationally, games companies have experienced strong growth thanks to smart government support and favourable regulatory settings,” he…

WA BUDDHISTS have helped put more than 3000 plants in the ground at the Eric Singleton Bird Sanctuary in Bayswater. Fo Guang Shan assisted a cast of locals to plant various species in the wetland and dryland areas, including Beaumea and Eucalyptus gomphocephala. A total of 165,000 plants, shrubs and trees will be planted over…