Perth Voice Interactive

PERTH’S Heritage Weekend celebrates its 10th birthday this year.

Starting out as Heritage Day, the mix of tours, talks and workshops proved highly popular, and the event was later expanded over two days.

This year’s event (October 20-21) has 42 sites, from the Old Observatory, designed by George Temple Poole and built for the colonial astronomer in 1896, to the grand CFMEU trades hall on Beaufort Street.

The region’s Aboriginal history will also be explored in events like The First Story, a 90-minute tour exploring life before European arrival, led by a Nyungar guide.

The weekend is organised by Heritage Perth, and its former boss Richard Offen will be coming out of semi-retirement to give a talk on the history of the Young Australia League—founded in 1905 to ensure AFL remained the dominant sport when the “non-Australian” soccer and rugby started to encroach.

Events are free, but you’ll need to book for some of them at http://www.heritageperth.com.au/heritage-perth-weekend-2018/

Click on the events tab at the top, under “News & Events”, for those you need to book.

by DAVID BELL

A NEW festival is coming to Maylands town centre early next year.

Bayswater council will hold the Maylands Laneway Festival on Saturday, February 23, from 5.30pm to 9pm, in Lyric Lane just off Eighth Avenue.

Councillor Elli Petersen-Pik says the family-friendly festival “will take place in the evening and include buskers and free children’s entertainment. The plan is also to have some of the local businesses sell their own food as part of the festival”.

Every year Bayswater council assigns each ward $15,000 for events and lets local councillors, in this case Cr Petersen-Pik and Catherine Ehrhardt, have a say on what is held.

Cr Ehrhardt says she’d been keen to see some activation in the laneways for a while and held a toe-in-the-water long table event in Lyric Lane in December to test the waters.

“We want people to start thinking about laneways as more than just vehicle transport – somewhere that’s cool to explore, to get to businesses, and make it really happening so we can utilise every square inch of Maylands and make it just that little bit cooler,” Cr Ehrhardt said.

It’s hoped the festival will include the long-awaited Lyric Lane, a large music venue with a cafe and bar, and live music in the basement. It’s been a few years in the making, but the operators hope to open by the end of the year.

“I think it presents a good opportunity to tidy up the laneways and look into various improvements to revive them, hopefully, for the long term,” said Cr Petersen-Pik.

by DAVID BELL

NEARLY 60 per cent of people in a Vincent council survey have supported a 40kmh trial on residential streets in the south of the city.

At Tuesday’s council meeting (October 16), Vincent councillors will vote on whether to proceed with a two-year, 40kmh trial south of Vincent Street, north of Charles Street and east to the Swan River.

Distributor roads like Charles, Fitzgerald, William and Lord Streets will stay at 60kmh and Newcastle Street will remain at 50kmh.

In a pamphlet included with the survey, Vincent mayor Emma Cole said: “Residents regularly tell me that they are concerned about the speed of traffic on their streets and the impact on their daily lives.

“More and more, I am hearing that 50 is too fast on our residential roads, that rat running is a major concern and that car and truck traffic is increasing.

“Existing research shows that lowered speed limits make streets safer for all road users–drivers, pedestrians, cyclists–but slower speeds also contribute to more active and connected communities.

“Reduced speed limits are better for the environment with less fuel consumption and noise” and “slower speeds only have a minor impact on average journey times”.

392 people responded to the survey, with 57.4 per cent supporting a 40kmh trial, but support is likely to be higher: Some respondents opposed the trial because the speed limit wasn’t low enough, with 16 per cent wanting 30kmh. Only 38 per cent were happy with the 50kmh status quo.

Reasons for opposing the trial included the “impact on traffic flow” and people preferring speed humps or traffic calming measures.

The council’s allocated $150,000 in this year’s budget for the trial. If councillors vote to go ahead at Tuesday’s meeting, the next step will be establishing a reference group to organise the trial.

by DAVID BELL

PLEASE inspect your citrus trees for lumps and bumps—they could be nests full of invasive wasp babies about to hatch.

The state agriculture department has issued a warning that citrus gall wasps are concentrated in Bayswater, Vincent, Stirling and further north in Bassendean and Swan.

Native to Queensland and the warmer regions of NSW, their nests look like little woody bulges (about 25mm thick) in citrus twigs and are teeming with infant wasps.

“Each gall contains hundreds of larvae which emerge as tiny black wasps during Spring from October to November,” Helen Newman from WA Citrus Biosecurity says.

The wasps can kill younger trees and stop mature trees from producing fruit.

If you find one of the nests, the best ways of disposal is like a scene from an 80s monster movie: The wasps can be killed by double bagging them in black plastic bags and leaving them in the sun for four weeks, or by shredding the wasps into tiny bits, or burning them, or burying them one metre below ground.

Also let the agriculture department know by calling 9368 3080, or by using their free pest reporter app, MyPestGuide.

THE future of East Perth is looking bright after City of Perth commissioners allocated $300,000 to revitalise the suburb.

The revitalisation is being overseen by not-for-profit organisation Historic Heart and city staff recommended they be given $117,032 for the second stage of their revamp, but commissioner Gaye McMath said they should get $300,000 to ensure Perth gets something special.

Spanning the area between Barrack and Hill Streets where the city was founded, HH has been decking out the area in art and landscaping, including planter boxes painted by WA artists, three murals and laneway lighting.

Historic Heart has also developed an app with a virtual architecture walk and an art trail.

The not-for-profit organisation is privately funded—developer Adrian Fini is the principal contributor and many local businesses have put in cash—but it’s also received $250,000 from the state government and some funds from council.

Ms McMath spoke at last week’s council meeting, telling the other commissioners they shouldn’t skimp on funding stage two, which will involve more art, landscaping and lighting.

“I am concerned that a smaller allocation…may fail to achieve the critical mass required for a vibrant and lasting change in the east end,” she said.

Chair commissioner Eric Lumsden agreed: “This activity, with the community support and involvement and the momentum it’s generated, is exactly in line with the City of Perth act which this council must take into account far more in its deliberations.”

by DAVID BELL

GAY MPs in Voiceland are supporting a law change that would give male same-sex couples the same rights as women for surrogate pregnancies.

Women who can’t conceive and female same-sex couples are allowed  to use a surrogate mother as long as she is not paid, but it’s illegal for single men and same-sex male couples.

The proposed changes to the Human Reproductive Technology Act and the Surrogacy Act 2008 will continue wending its way through WA parliament, before a conscience vote is held.

Perth Labor MP John Carey told parliament on Tuesday the change was another small step towards equal rights, after recent laws to expunge historic convictions for homosexuality and legalise marriage equality.

Turning point

“We are now at another turning point in our state’s history,” he said, warning arguments against same-sex surrogacy were “based on fear”.

“That fear stems from, and creates, homophobia in our society. It creates discrimination and even hatred against gay and lesbian people.

“I can tell those members who have not ever encountered discrimination that as an openly gay man, a state candidate and now a MP, I am still subject to homophobia and discrimination, whether it is being called a faggot by someone in the street, or whether it was being texted during the election campaign and called a paedophile.

“The reality is that in the 21st century, homophobia still exists.

“Every bit of reform that tackles discrimination and removes those barriers is critically important, not just for those same-sex male couples who wish to have a child, but also to all those younger generations who will see another path of discrimination dismantled from our legislation.”

He cited two recent studies “that overwhelmingly demonstrate that same-sex parenting couples produce successful and happy children.”

Maylands Labor MP Lisa Baker told parliament the issue was “not just near and dear to me heart, but very near and dear to my lifestyle”.

“I think it is an opportune moment for me to stand and say that I fundamentally believe that it is not up to us to say that it is okay for a lesbian couple, people like myself and others, to choose to have children, raise families, access surrogacy and do those kinds of things to bring children into our lives but that other members in this house who might be gay males would not be allowed to bring children into their relationships.

“I cannot possibly say that I am or would be a better parent than my male gay friends. What gives me the right to make a decision about whether they may or may not have a child?”

She cited Bayswater constituents Oliver Pincott and Matthew Clements, who wrote urging her to support the bill.

“Our options of starting a family in our own state are abated by the current law, and we are forced to look overseas at extraordinary expense and legal uncertainty,” they wrote.

“The journey of bringing a child into the world, becoming a parent for the first time, is one full of equal parts excitement and uncertainty.

“As an intended parent, having a known surrogate in your home state and assisting with the pregnancy, would provide comfort and support to all those involved.”

Some MPs spoke against the bill, including Liberal Cottesloe MP David Honey who said the changes were “overwhelmingly looking at the rights of the adults”.

“I believe that that view ignores the interest of the children,” he said.

“I have no doubt that children are most likely to achieve their full potential with a loving mother and father and, as I said, that view is supported by credible research.”

by DAVID BELL

Morley Labor MP Amber-Jade Sanderson told the lower house in WA Parliament on Tuesday it’s not just gay men who’ll benefit from proposed changes to the Human Reproductive Technology Act and the Surrogacy Act 2008.

“There has been a lot of focus on access to surrogacy for same-sex couples, but what about single men? I have someone in my electorate who has had some really devastating personal circumstances, and this bill could potentially change his life and fulfil his dreams of becoming a parent.

“His name is Rick, and he is happy for me to talk about his circumstances.

“He came to see me a few weeks ago about this issue. He and his wife were very happily married and had been trying to have a baby for many, many years. As with a lot of couples, it was not easy and did not go as smoothly as anticipated. They had started the IVF process and had several embryos in storage.

Cancer

“Tragically, Rick’s wife was diagnosed with cancer, and through the diagnosis and treatment the couple continued to plan their future, which included having children. The freezing of embryos was incredibly important because cancer treatment can often ruin fertility, and due to the impact of the cancer treatment they were already in the process of finding a surrogate. They knew that IVF was not an option and had already gone down the track of finding a surrogate.

“Devastatingly for Rick, his wife and family, his wife passed away from cancer.” As a now-single man under the current law, he could not access surrogacy arrangements in WA.

“With the support of his wife’s family, with whom he is still very close—they all live in or very close to my electorate—they still want to fulfil the family wishes by using the existing embryos and accessing surrogacy,” Ms Sanderson said.

“That baby will be incredibly wanted, loved and cherished.

“It will not be a straightforward family, but there will be many people around who will just adore this child.

“What a wonderful life and potential gift that would be for Rick and his family in light of such terrible circumstances.”