FORTY-THREE years ago Mark Kraljevich lost his precious watch on a Swan River cruise during a brawl between arts and architecture uni students. Bayswater local Greg Smith was on board and had such a good time he only remembers one thing about the quarrelsome night: “I remember it was the arts students’ fault,” the town…

THE Barnett government is being blamed for another year of soaring costs for Perth city ratepayers. Since January the state government’s landfill tax has rocketed 96 per cent, and the premier is slugging the council another $3.1 million for its city carpark tax (taking it to $17m). The tax hikes have led the council to…

SOMEONE’S nicked an umpire’s chair from Mt Lawley Tennis Club. President Les Peirce says the chair, valued at around $700, vanished a few weeks ago. “We’ve asked around at the club, but nobody knows where it’s gone,” he says. “I can only assume that someone has climbed over the fence and stolen it. “The chair…

AN 80-year-old man says he’s been charged $1400 for a dodgy tree-lopping job. The company that did the job was West Coast Trees—a new company owned by the same people behind WA Tree Services (which has also registered West Coast Tree Professionals). The flyer and services offered by the new companies are almost identical to…

WITH fuel thieves frequently nicking number plates to hide their crimes from cameras, Bayswater police are fitting anti-theft numberplate screws for free on Saturday June 20. You can also meet your local policing team to yammer about what they’re up to in the area. It’s on 9am to 1pm at Masters Home Improvement, corner Collier…

GROG barns are so on the nose in Bayswater the local council is planning to amend its town planning scheme to limit where they can go. Cr Terry Kenyon, the city’s former mayor, has tabled a motion to amend the scheme so new liquor outlets 300sqm and above are banned from residential zones. Also, planning…

A FLYER grumbling about North Perth primary school’s plans to fence its oval is doing the rounds of the neighbourhood. Principal Karen Lockyer told parents in a newsletter a fence was needed around most of the oval and the school carpark, since “we have a continuing issue with people walking, cycling or riding motor-bikes through…

MORE than 400 locals are opposing plans to install new floodlights and upgrade De Lacey reserve in Maylands. The site is used by cricket and soccer clubs and includes changing rooms and a children’s playground. Gareth Davies says locals are concerned about increased traffic and parking on Richard Street, which runs along the side of…

BUSINESSES suffering at Barrack Square may get rent relief from the WA government, as traders struggle to make a buck amidst the dust, noise and hostile terrain of the Elizabeth Quay works. Back in April the Voice revealed Annalakshmi restaurant was suffering because of the works. That’s led to a flurry of other local traders…

OVER six months, the Leederville Employment Law Centre received 10,000 calls from people worried about their rights at work. It could only handle 2000, and deep funding cuts from the federal and state governments means it’ll be even harder this year.” Young gun city lawyer Nicholas van Hattem reckons he has a solution to the…