Traders cop rates whack BUSINESSES in Vincent are copping a whack from the council this year, with rates to jump 8.5 per cent. Residents, however, will breathe a sigh of relief, with a relatively modest 2.78 per cent increase. But motorists face hikes, with parking fees across Vincent set to rise 20 cents an hour.…

A PAIR of luxury Mount Lawley townhouses illegally rented out as short-term accommodation has been a nightmare for locals. Sick of rowdy parties coming from 63 and 65 Alma Road—including a three-day bender featuring “30 young people, anti-social behaviour, swearing and excessive noise”—neighbours dobbed the properties in to Vincent council.   This week the council…

FORMER Vincent mayor Nick Catania says a new rule requiring Vincent’s elected members to record all meetings with developers sounds like a good idea in principle but might be sticky in practice. He says the more important aspect of transparency is to make sure every meeting with developers includes the city’s planner and other relevant…

THE folk from the Vincent men’s shed have been hard at work, making planter boxes to liven up the town. Local carpenter Deano Hall has been coming down to the shed since February, and says it’s been a great way to make friends and keep mental health in check. “When I said I was a…

A DIGITAL commune for games developers has been created in the state library. Every second Thursday programmers, wizards and virgins—sometimes the same people are all three—meet at “Level One”, a co-working space with free iMacs, wifi, coffee and tea. Freelance narrative designer Anthony Sweet, who wrote the script for Black Lab’s Star Hammer, went to…

FOR one day of the year, Aboriginal people are made to feel welcome, and their ancient culture embraced, at Wellington Square. Tuesday’s Sorry Day reconciliation event—marking the date 18 years ago when the Bringing them Home report into stolen children was released—saw hundreds show up to the square which has a long and not always…

BAYSWATER city councillor Chris Cornish has roasted Lisa Scaffidi over her acceptance of BHP Billiton’s corporate hospitality, worth about $16,000 at the Beijing Olympics seven years ago. The Perth lord mayor has been referred to the WA crime and corruption commission by the Australian federal police, who were alerted by their US counterparts in a…

ONE of the last sneaky free parking spots in the inner-city may soon cost thrifty parkers $2.40 an hour. Vincent council’s parking department wants to spend $43,650 on ticket machines it can spread through the Fitzgerald Street carpark that’s tucked in a “discreet location” behind the Italian Club. A hidden oasis of free bays for…

PERTH’S Asian-Australian community leaders are stepping up for this year’s St Vincent de Paul CEO sleepout to raise funds for WA’s homeless. Perth councillor and lawyer Lily Chen is sleeping out for her first year and has already raised $12,300 of her $13,000 target.  Leona Gu from the GTL Group has donated in past years…