CHINATOWN may soon stretch down William or James streets under a multi-million dollar revamp of Northbridge. Chung Wah Association secretary Ting Chen met with WA treasurer Mike Nahan late late year to discuss options for a new Chinatown as part of an overhaul of the suburb. Dr Chen has tabled two options: closing James Street…

A SUPPORTER of Aboriginal activists will receive $966.70 in compensation from Perth city council for items confiscated last year from a Heirisson Island camp. The mediated settlement looks likely to pave the way for many more compensation claims: five truckloads of property was taken in nine raids between March and August by Perth city council…

MOST people picture mayoral duties as cutting the ribbon on a new length of footpath or debating the height of fences, but Vincent mayor John Carey found himself playing hire-a-hubby to an 81-year-old ratepayer who called him about security issues. On Sunday he posted on Facebook he was “contacted last night at 9pm from an…

WOOLWORTHS hasn’t given up on its long-held desire to demolish the Maylands Peninsula Tavern and replace it with a $3.5 million, 1000sqm Dan Murphy’s liquor barn. The grocery giant says it is “reviewing and assessing” its options regarding the WA liquor commission’s rejection of its application last week. Maylands Labor MP Lisa Baker, a long-time…

Just slow down WITH thousands of children returning to school for the start of the 2016 educational year, we’ll also see the enforcement of specially zoned speed limits around schools in the mornings and afternoons. Road safety authorities set the school zone limits to 40km per hour at those specific times of day, for a…

“DON’T write off John Carey for the state seat of Perth just yet,” is the message we’re hearing from Labor insiders. Last week we learned the Vincent mayor had not lodged an expression of interest to nominate as Labor’s candidate for the seat, held by Liberal Eleni Evangel on a slim 2.64 per cent margin.…

THERE’S no money in the arts, goes the old saying. For WA artists, it’s increasingly becoming a reality, Fringe artist playwright Tiffany Barton sighs. A friend, armed with a PhD from WAAPA and “very busy working on shows”, made $15,000 last year — about $288 a week, which isn’t enough for rent, let alone food.…

POLICE will increase numbers at Fringe festival venues on weekends following a spate of complaints by performers of abuse and anti-social behaviour from yobs. Police assure event organisers more officers will patrol the city Fridays and Saturdays to ensure festival-goers are safe. No formal complaints were made to WA Police but they flowed online. Adam…

BAYSWATER councillors have narrowly rejected a push to ban ratepayer-funded overseas travel. Cr Brent Fleeton, elected last year, lost by one vote his bid to slash travel budgets and ban overseas travel. Experienced councillors told colleagues that trips to conferences and seminars are a useful means to an end. Mayor Barry McKenna — a 25-year…

NORTH PERTH reader Andrew Douglas has a mystery on his hands: his backyard olive tree is slowly ailing from an unknown sickness and experts are baffled. Mr Douglas contacted the Voice to see if any readers can shed some light on the problem. The tree, “is about 50 years old so I consider it part…