CUSTOMER call waiting times at Stirling council has been rated the slowest out of six councils surveyed by a customer service industry association, with average wait times clocked at 11 minutes, 22 seconds. The Australian Customer Experience Professionals Association released their October report on call waiting times after having “mystery shoppers” make repeated phone calls…

THE lure of development bonuses to get more people living in Perth’s CBD will see the repurposing of a private carpark just up the road from Royal Perth Hospital into swish apartments and offices. Big financier Perpetual owns the carpark through one of its trusts, and has submitted a development application to build one- and…

THE demand for social housing and bigger roads has spelled certain doom for a heritage-listed 1904 cottage on Guildford Road that Main Roads has neglected to the point it’s unsalvageable. At this Tuesday’s agenda briefing, Vincent councillors will debate a recommendation to remove the Federation Queen Anne cottage from category B of its municipal heritage…

A COMMUNITY group which has been a little coy about its membership has ruffled a few feathers after dipping its toes into Vincent council’s election. Vincent’s Resident and Small Business Association claims to be a non-political organisation that gives, “a voice to residents, ratepayers and businesses who are not being heard by councillors”.  It emerged…

THE Mt Hawthorn Hawkers Market made a lively return to Axford Park on Friday September 29 after a three-year pause. Hundreds of foodies attended the first markets of the 23/24 season, with food stalls serving up sweet and savoury dishes from across the globe, plus live music from busker Ari Davis and a Free Kids…

A FUNKY festival which brings joy and activism to the street is expanding into Leederville and the Perth CBD this weekend. WAHonk Fest is a celebration of alternative community street bands and is part of a global movement which had its start in the US city of Somerville, Massachusetts in 2006 when a group of…

THE Eight Mountains is a hymn of praise to deep human friendship and enduring relationship to physical place, the kind of relationship to country that Aboriginal people speak of.  Its narrative tells of a man anchored to the Italian Alps into which he was born, and his best friend who wanders the earth searching for…

EMERGING cello star and UWA Conservatorium of Music star Max Wung is set to dazzle audiences again at the Perth Redemptorist Monastery in North Perth on Saturday, November 18, at 2 pm and Fremantle Town Hall on Sunday, 19 November, at 3pm with the Fremantle Chamber Orchestra. Under the guidance of associate professor Suzanne Wijsman…

ONE of the pioneers of Perth’s multicultural arts community, whose story has links to famed ballerina Anna Pavlova and the rescue of an entire artform, is celebrating the 40th anniversary of teaching classical Indian dancing in Western Australia. Jayalakshimi Raman was a founding member of the North Perth Ethnic Music Centre in 1983, known in…

A FORMER sports writer who covered the early years of Perth Glory fears the club is missing the chance to cash in on the interest generated by the recent World Cup by having it’s women’s team playing out in the boondocks. The lack of a permanent home ground has been a long-standing issue for the…