PERTH lord mayor Lisa Scaffidi has announced she won’t return once her suspension is over, in a roundabout response to a Voice letter writer. Last week Scaffidi-supporter Winsley Hurst wrote a letter to the editor saying “what’s desperately needed is the return of our cruelly suspended lord mayor”. On Tuesday July 30 Ms Scaffidi tweeted…

A RALLY in support of press freedom saw fewer than 50 people turn out in Forrest Place last Sunday (July 28). There are about 300 WA journalists and 150 student journos in WA, but they stayed away in droves. Organised by the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance, the rally was protesting against changes to “war…

CITY of Perth chair commissioner Eric Lumdsen (pictured) is stepping down August 9 due to ill health. Cmm’r Lumsden made an emotional announcement at the July 30 council meeting, saying it was in the best interests of his health and the city. “It’s something I’ve been contemplating for some time as there’s been some conjecture…

FOR the third year running there will be no standalone Carols by Candlelight at Langley Park. Perth council staff said a standalone event was “not viable”, with not enough time to organise it and too many existing commitments. Like last year, carols will instead be included in the Christmas Symphony at Langley Park. Cost-effective At…

SIXTEEN-year-old climate crisis activist Makaela Rowe-Fox runs a free discussion panel on “How do we save the world?” at the Art Gallery of WA today (Saturday August 3). Ms Rowe-Fox is one of the organisers behind the national school strike for climate movement, and has protested, marched and chanted at the March 15 and May…

PERTH’S Belinda Teh is on the last leg of her 3500km walk across Australia inspired by her mum Mareia’s painful death. After a 70-day walk, the voluntary assisted dying advocate is due to reach parliament house at 1pm on Tuesday August 6. She hopes to share her story and present white roses – her mum’s…

VINCENT council is set to spend $200,000 on a major new public artwork. The city is looking for expressions of interest from artists, and prominent sites for the artwork have already been earmarked: • Birdwood Square on the corner of Beaufort and Brisbane Streets; • The corner of Bulwer and Vincent Streets; • Ivy Park…

A THUNDEROUS hose has led to a spray of complaints from neighbours of a Charles Street car wash, but Vincent council is letting it run later. Vincent council staff found Eco Spray Carwash had been operating the high-pressure hose outside its approved 8.30am-5.30pm trading hours, but will rein in Friday and weekend spraying to give…

ILLICT watering holes or ‘sly-grogs’ were built on Australian shores as soon as the First Fleet arrived in 1788. Almost a decade later the first legal pub was opened in Parramatta in Sydney, serving thirsty patrons rum and brandy and the occasional batch of beer. Once a 5 o’clock destination for the working class to…

UPDATE: The City of Perth commissioners have approved the ATP Cup’s grant at the July 30 council meeting. THE City of Perth is considering a $120,000 sponsorship of the men-only tennis tournament slated to replace the Hopman Cup in WA. The mixed-gender Hopman Cup was held for the last time in Perth in January this…