The red man finally has a home, ending long debate over whether to buy it and where to put it. The controversial $65,000 artwork Games by Chinese sculptor Chen Wen Ling is being installed at the corner of Vincent and Bulwer Streets. When councillors two weeks ago again demurred over where to put it, former…

Friends of Lightning Swamp president John Williams says Bayswater city council has “missed the mark” by not contributing to a proposed $6 million sustainability centre at the Noranda swamp. He says the council doesn’t understand the “vision” for the centre and has failed to allocate a brass razoo in its 2013/14 budget for it. “The…

A catalina test flight on the Swan River is expected to pave the way for the first passenger trips this summer. Catalina Airlines says the Swan River Trust caved into pressure and gave the company permission to conduct the noise test yesterday. Catalina boss Mack McCormack told the Voice he had been summoned to the…

Barnett mirrors Brisbane mistake DO not destroy a good council. The question needs to be asked—when Brisbane is in the process of de-amalgamating its gigantic council because being  too large has been a failure,  just why is WA hell-bent on making the same mistakes? Bigger councils have been shown to breed corruption—look at the histories…

The soaring popularity of Bikram Yoga in North Perth is getting motorists steamed up. Every afternoon is a nightmare on Chelmsford Road and Leake Street, with motorists squeezing between parked vehicles that belong to participants of the sweaty pursuit. In some cases there’s just centimetres of clearance between parked and passing cars. Local Ross Field…

“Stuff Perth and whether it wants all of us or not,” says former Vincent deputy mayor Ian Ker. He believes Perth city council’s rejection of Vincent’s request to be swallowed whole is a gift that should not be overlooked. The Mt Lawley resident, an inaugural Vincent councillor who retired in 2009 after 14 years’ service,…

Perth’s economy and its residents’ health will suffer if we don’t make our city more walkable, city planner Jeff Speck says. The US planner is in town for his public forum The Walkability Mandate, where he’ll argue our health, wealth and impact on the environment will improve by having a more walkable city. “Auto-centric development…

Stirling city councillor Elizabeth Re has lost an appeal to overturn her sacking as a senior public servant. An appeals board found that emails were evidence of a conspiracy to cause damage to and embarrass her employer, the office of the inspector of custodial services. Cr Re was sacked on December 21 following the discovery…

Mother Nature propelled Bayswater City Soccer Club to its first-ever state league title and treble last Saturday in front of 2700 fans at Mt Hawthorn’s Litis Stadium. Baysy was trailing 1-0 at halftime, but after a rousing team talk from coach Chris Coyne, the boys scored twice against Stirling Lions to win the league grand…

Open House Perth is back after overwhelming numbers turned up to tour the backstages of Perth’s iconic buildings last year. Architect Carly Barrett based the Perth tours on a similar model from London, and almost 50,000 people went on the free tours through 56 destinations its first year in 2012. Liam Gobbert is the tour…