Perth Voice Interactive

Banking revolt

May 25, 2018

BAYSWATER council’s investment portfolio should be not be with banks found guilty of wrongdoing by the Hayne Royal Commission, Cr Brent Fleeton says.

With about $85 million of ratepayers funds lodged with big banks, Cr Fleeton wants staff to investigate the implications of moving the funds to other lenders. He’s unhappy with the big 4 banks following the financial skeletons unearthed by the royal commission into misconduct in the banking, superannuation and financial sector.

At the City of Stirling, new councillor Bianca Sandri got unanimous support for a similar notice of motion.

Cr Fleeton posted on his councillor Facebook page ahead of the vote: “With the Royal Commission continuing to uncover disgraceful behaviour from our banks and financial institutions, there is clearly an ingrained culture in the banks of treating Australians like fools. We all need to take our own stand against this corrupt industry”.

The wording of the motion targets banks found to have “acted inappropriately”.

Cr Fleeton told Tuesday’s council meeting: “Inappropriate behaviour is, to me, this seemingly built-in culture in the banking system to make money at all costs, and there’s no thought of the human element to that, especially in small business.

“As someone who’s just started a small business, I’m terrified of approaching a bank right now and putting my lot on the line.”

Cr Lorna Clarke seconded the motion, saying “we are seeing possibly illegal, highly unethical and completely unconscionable behaviour from a number of major and not so major lenders and financial institutions”.

In mid 2017 Bayswater councillors voted in-principle to not invest with banks involved in the fossil fuel industry at the urge of activist group 350.org.

Cr Fleeton voted against that divestment, saying: “I didn’t agree with that move as I value our resources and energy sector and the contribution it makes to our economy, however I understand the importance of symbolism in taking the fight to fix something you see as being wrong.

“There would be many City of Bayswater residents and ratepayers who have been treated appallingly by the banks over the years. This is one way your local council can stand up for you.”

The royal commission’s final report is due February next year.

by DAVID BELL
Hawk-eye, please…

May 25, 2018

FOR almost 20 years Bayswater council hasn’t charged Maylands Tennis Club rent, and now the city’s reviewing all its lease agreements to see if there are other freeloaders on the books.

In 1999 the council agreed to rent out 56 Clarkson Road to the club for $509 a year plus utilities, adjusted for CPI.

It was regarded as a generous deal for the boutique grass court club on Maylands Peninsula, and the rental component is now worth about $760.

However council staff recently discovered the city has only been charging utilities, meaning it’s missed out on $11,848.98 in rent.

A staff report to councillors recommended writing off the entire debt as a “goodwill” gesture because the sloppy bookkeeping wasn’t the club’s fault.

• Members of the Maylands Tennis Club in 2014. File photo

But resident Harvey Tonkin implored councillors at Tuesday’s council meeting not to wipe off the debt.

“As a ratepayer I am not impressed that council is wiping the debt under the guise that they are at fault and the management committee wishes to donate the sum to the club to wipe the debt,” Mr Tonkin said at question time.

“It seems the club has had 18 years of [free] rent.

“Will the councillors show guts and determination and ensure the club pays their fair share of the rent owing?”

However councillors let the item pass through without discussion and the club was off the hook.

The free rent situation came to light after the city reviewed its accounts receivable system.

by DAVID BELL
Perks of Perth

May 25, 2018

IF Caroline Perks makes it to Canberra she says her priority will be reminding Parliament that climate change is still a pressing emergency.

The Greens candidate for federal Perth says global warming was “one of the primary reasons why I put my hand up to run as a candidate for the Greens.

“It wasn’t even mentioned in the federal budget except for a one-line item, and the lack of support for renewables is really concerning,” Ms Perks says.

A climate change policy expert, she says the issue has fallen off the federal government’s radar, and people should be questioning the amount the taxpayer hands over to subsidise the fossil fuel industry.

• Greens candidate for federal Perth Caroline Perks. Photo supplied

“Why are they still being subsidised, and why are we not supporting this emerging [renewables] industry?”

At the last federal election, the Greens secured 17 per cent of the vote in the Perth electorate.

Ms Perks ran for the Greens in the state seat of Maylands in the 2017 election, increasing the party’s primary vote by 4.8 to 17 per cent.

With the Liberal party not fielding a candidate in the upcoming Perth by-election, she says “the Greens are really keen to talk to everyone in the electorate” and they’re hoping to appeal to a broader base than just the environmentally concerned: “We have polices that are really important in working towards fairness…integrity in government is a really big element of Greens policy, and we’d really like to see donations reform and transparency around corporate donations.”

Ms Perks says she’s experienced discrimination in the workplace and wants to fight for gender equality. “As a young professional there’s been instances where I’ve been asked to take the minutes at a meeting I’d organised and would be facilitating and presenting at”.

She says “she will be particularly passionate in working out how we can prevent or reduce domestic violence and the gender pay gap.”

by DAVID BELL
Paddy for Perth

May 25, 2018

PERTH Labor candidate Patrick Gorman says there’ll be no change to his federal by-election campaign, despite the Liberal party deciding not to field a candidate.

“It doesn’t change a thing for me,” Mr Gorman says.

“This is an opportunity to stand up and represent my community. I’m going to talk to as many people as I can and engage with as many of the communities of the Perth electorate as possible and I’ll doorknock as many houses as I physically can.”

The Liberal party’s state executive decided not to put up a candidate in the Perth and Fremantle by-elections as they thought it was a fait accompli.

It’s a contentious decision among the party’s rank and file as the Blues won the primary vote in Perth at the last election with 42.3 per cent, but preferences carried Labor’s Tim Hammond over the line.

Mr Hammond has resigned to spend more time with his young family, and Mr Gorman was quickly nominated as his successor.

• Patrick Gorman. Photo by Steve Grant

A proud policy nerd, Mr Gorman says the electorate is politically switched on: “One of the things I love about the Perth electorate is it’s full of people who are actively engaged in that public political discussion. You’ve got great community groups who are very active, I was at the Maylands street festival on the weekend and there’s a whole bunch of community groups who come and tell you what they think should be done, and it’s a very active discussion.

“You’ve also got businesses and think tanks and university campuses in that public policy discussion as well, so it’s actually a great part of the world if you are a policy nerd like me. And I don’t mind being that, because that’s how you change the country.”

His professional life’s largely been spent working for the party: Steeped in student politics at uni, he’d go on to work as an officer for MPs like Ken Travers and Melissa Parke, and he worked as a senior advisor to Kevin Rudd. He’s currently WA Labor state secretary and was behind Mark McGowan’s 2017 election campaign.

The campaign used advanced social media techniques, like targeting Labor Facebook ads towards people who’d liked Mixed Martial Arts pages.

Labor had a policy to overturn the Barnett government’s ban on the octagonal cages used in the sport, which effectively banned the sport in WA.

Asked if a life in the party had left him a little short on life experience, he says “I think the important thing is you have to have done something in your life where you’ve learnt to listen to people. If you haven’t learn the skill of listening, that’s the really dangerous thing.

“I’ve been lucky to have jobs where I’ve learnt to listen, learnt to work collaboratively with people and also just deliver public policy outcomes because at the end of the day that’s the job.”

by DAVID BELL
LETTERS: 26.5.18

May 25, 2018

• We gave Chatfield the week off to recover from doing stand-up at the Royal Wedding (joke), so here is one of his generic toons that made us giggle.

By-election farce
THE up coming by-elections in Perth and Fremantle are nothing short of a farce.
In both electorates the Liberals are not putting up a candidate so we don’t need an election to know who is going to be elected.
Okay, there will be a few minor parties that will put up candidates and they will get a handful of votes but the ALP will get both seats.
Unfortunately neither of the ALP candidates will be going to parliament to represent their electorates.
They will be on the back benches to do and say exactly as instructed by the affiliated union-controlled National Executive of the ALP.
Patrick Gorman, the union pick for the Perth electorate is hardly known by the people of the area.
I have lived in the Perth CBD for over a decade and have never heard of him before.
The main reason for his selection is his allegiance to a couple of unions that will guarantee he toes the party line, regardless of what the Perth electorate voters want.
There was in fact another nomination for the seat: John Hammond, a very well known Perth lawyer.
John however has no affiliation to a union and therefore never stood a chance.
In addition he is a reformist and believes that the voters should have a say in candidate selection and that MPs should actually represent their electorates.
So revolutionary, but guaranteed to cause the affiliated union heavies to ignore him.
No wonder many Australians have had a gut-full of both major parties.
Solution—vote for a minor party.
One that promises to represent the electorate as opposed to acting as a puppet to the executive of one of the two major parties.
This would send a big message to the two big parties.
James Simons
Adelaide Terrace, Perth

Timely trial
WE welcome the news article in the Voice (‘A Trialling Journey’, May 19, 2018) that Vincent mayor Emma Cole will contact road safety minister Michelle Roberts regarding the proposed 40kmh trial in South Ward.
This is a positive step towards achieving a safer, healthier and better connected matrix of local streets in our residential areas.
It is hoped that a successful trial will lead to the introduction of 40kmh on local residential streets across the City of Vincent.
Slowing vehicle speeds is key to improving the general environment of residential areas and encourages adults and children to use streets as recreational spaces—to walk and cycle more often to shops, schools, community facilities and to play outside in their local area.
The benefit of creating a network of local streets, with broader functions than their current singular use as motor vehicle routes, is being recognised in many cities across Australia and around the world.
The first step in this revitalisation is to achieve slower vehicle speeds.
We congratulate mayor Cole for working towards this goal.
Geraldine Box
Alma Rd North Perth

Monarchy are great
The royal family may live in comfort, but they certainly do not have easy lives.
Being in the spotlight all the time must be very difficult, constantly being polite and interested in all situations.
They support many charities and are very knowledgeable about the particular charity they are visiting.
For example, Prince Harry and the Invictus Games, the Duchess of Cornwall supports a charity donating books to children, and also a domestic violence charity, helping women and children experiencing abuse at home.
I could go on with a long list of work the royal family do at home and overseas.
The Queen has always been a strong supporter of the Commonwealth and worked tirelessly for its countries.
The royal family stand for continuity and stability in an ever-changing world.
Margaret Paynter
Moran Street, Beaconsfield
Ditch the quangos

May 25, 2018

IAN ALEXANDER is a geographer, town planner, community activist, former Perth state MP and former City of Perth councillor. In this week’s SPEAKER’S CORNER, Dr Alexander argues that Development Assessment Panels have led to “The Death of Local Planning”.

OVER the past decade or so the WA town planning system has been gradually centralised.

Today any significant development—defined as costing $2 million or more—is determined not by local government, but by state government controlled ‘Joint’ Development Assessment Panels.

These panels have three state-appointed members and two nominees from the relevant local council.

This is the opposite of what was recently advocated in an important 2015 paper, Five Radical Ideas for a Better Planning System, published by academics at University College London, where I undertook my MPhil in planning nearly 50 years ago.

The paper principally advocates subsidiarity: ‘the principle that a central authority should have a subsidiary (less important) function performing only those tasks which cannot be performed at a local level’ (Oxford Dictionary definition).

• Ian Alexander at the Foyle Road site in Bayswater where a DAP-approved development will be built . Photo by Steve Grant

Since the Metropolitan Region Scheme was gazetted in 1963, the state has set the overall planning framework, leaving detailed matters like local zoning for land uses, setbacks, design, height of new developments and such like to local government. This is how the system worked until the advent of DAPs.

A glaring example of how DAPs work to the disadvantage of local communities is their recent approval of a five-storey apartment block on Foyle Road, Bayswater, on the fringe of the town centre, despite the development being opposed by the city and its planners on the grounds of excess height and failure to meet design excellence standards.

At the DAP meeting little or no attention was paid to a fundamental breach of the Planning and Development Act—the development is contrary to current classification of the land. It is reserved in the Bayswater Planning Scheme for car parking.

Appeal

This was effectively ignored by the State Administrative Tribunal when the developers, with a similar proposal, unsuccessfully appealed against a previous refusal by the city.

While SAT turned down the appeal on aesthetic grounds, they purportedly sanctioned use of the land for residential, contrary to its reservation.

Changes of this sort can only be made on the recommendation of the local authority or the land owner, and approved by the minister for planning.

Representative democracy has been killed. Unrepresentative quangos—SAT and DAPs—have assumed control.

Local government and the state government planning minister have been sidelined. As radical town planner and town centre resident Greg Smith would say, “0/10 for democracy!”

Examples can be found in nearly all local authority areas. I understand the need for and existence of the “Scrap the DAP’” campaign. I also endorse it.
Top taverna

May 25, 2018

AFTER reading rave reviews about Greek taverna Bikra and my mate moving in across the road, we decided to go all Nana Mouskouri and flutter on over.

We opted for a late dinner and the ambience was fantastic—think small-bar buzz with restaurant-quality service and that classic Greek vibe.

First out of the kitchen was the homemade sourdough bread with olive oil ($5).

The bread was baked to perfection and the marinated Kalamata olives ($7), seasoned with citrus zest, garlic, thyme and oregano, were to die for.

We chose to embrace the Greek vibe and continued with a couple of meze plates (a collection of small dishes akin to tapas).

The saganaki kefalograviera pan-fried cheese and beautiful honey ouzo ($12) created an exotic mix of sweet and salty flavours.

Next up was the graviera cheese triangles in crispy moroccan pastry with lightly caramelised Manjimup figs ($15).

These were the perfect little appetisers, with the in-season figs giving the dish an extra punch of flavour.

The last of the vegetarian share plates was the spanakopita ($16.00) savoury pasty, filled with wild weed, leek and feta. Unfortunately, it was let down by the slightly dense filo pastry.

With our dose of vegies for the week consumed, our eyes locked onto the chicken Maryland souvla ($30).

The tender poultry had perfectly-charred skin, creating that classic mix of textures, and was very moreish.

The slow roasted lamb ($32) was the star of the evening, with the meat effortlessly falling off the bone and the natural flavours of the lamb shining through.

Complemented by the fresh and zesty lemon tzatziki, this was a melt-in-the-mouth number.

To finish off our meal we opted for a couple of long macchiatos, and were persuaded to get a star anise Greek yoghurt panna cotta ($11.00) by the lovely waitress.

We did the obligatory “wobble test” and I’m happy to say the dessert passed with flying colours.

Topped with crunchy kataifi pastry, orange salsa, honeycomb and roasted grapes, I’m happy to say this interesting culmination of flavours was the perfect end to an excellent meal.

by LINDSAY MARTIN

Brika
3/177 Stirling St, Perth
http://www.brika.com.au
Fledgling art

May 25, 2018

UNIVERSITY of WA art student Elham Eshraghian has won this year’s $40,000 Schenberg Art Fellowship.

The lucrative prize is handed out to an up-and-coming artist who makes it into PICA’s Hatched exhibition and catches the Schenberg judges’ eyes.

Eshraghian’s digital work Bohran was selected from a field of 30 finalists and the folk at PICA were so impressed they’ve already given her an artist-in-residency.

• Elham Eshraghian’s Bohran is one of the stunning artworks in PICA’s exhibition Hatched. Photos supplied

The work draws on her Iranian Baha’i heritage, combining personal stories with a broader perspective of world history and politics.

“Mum was persecuted as a Baha’i and as a result of the 1979 revolution had to escape,” she tells the Voice.

Bohran features choreographed dance, text and archival footage “that reveals a confident and sophisticated use of her chosen medium and a sensitive and considered approach to difficult subject matter,” the judges said.

• UWA student Elham Eshraghian won this year’s Schenberg Art Fellowship.

Freshest ideas

The dancers featured in Eshraghian’s video were drawn from the Iranian Baha’i diaspora in Perth.

Now in its 27th year, Hatched showcases some of the best works by emerging artists.

“This year Hatched presents an incredible set of artists’ perspectives connected with personal stories from diverse cultural, social and political backgrounds.

“All of them are a luminous expression of the Australian melting-pot, which greatly contributes to the cultural diversity of this amazing country,” PICA curator Eugenio Viola says.

Displayed throughout PICA’s heritage-listed nooks and crannies, the works feature some of the freshest ideas in Australian contemporary art.

• Claire Gillam with her piano “played” by a plant.

And they’re as varied as the artists themselves, including Mt Lawley artist Claire Gillam, who harnesses the electrical energy of plants to power a series of musical instruments.

When the Voice dropped by, a plant called Grevillea Fangorn (named after a forest in Lord of the Rings) was conjuring notes out of a piano.

Hatched is at PICA, James Street, Northbridge until July 15.

by JENNY D’ANGER
British India back at the Newport!

May 25, 2018

Legendary Melbourne rockers in town 1 June

British India are thrilled to announce they’ll be returning to The Newport Hotel, Fremantle on the Midnight Homie Tour.

With raging guitars, seriously provocative lyrics and a palpable energy that confidently struts through the track’s entirety, there is little wonder Midnight Homie has quickly become a fan favourite on the band’s new album Forgetting the Future. Armed with the precision rock stylings of the new record, plus a bulging back catalogue of Australian live favourites – think Hottest 100 dominating tracks like Vanilla, I Can Make You Love Me and Suddenly – this is a show not to be missed!

Forgetting The Future is British India’s sixth studio album and its innovative direction has been met with widespread acclaim, including leading the band to sign an international licensing deal with NYC indie label, AntiFragile. Over the course of their impressive career, British India have earned four Top 10 ARIA albums, eight entries into the Hottest 100 and their classic single I Can Make You Love Me is certified Gold in Australia.

Be sure to catch the legendary Melbourne rockers doing what they do best at The Newport Hotel, Fremantle Friday 1 June. The Newport Galley is offering 10% off food orders to all online ticket holders prior to 7pm, exc. daily specials.

British India Midnight Homie Tour (supported by Spacey Jane)
The Newport Hotel
Friday 1 June | Doors open 7pm
Tickets at thenewport.com
ASTROLOGY: May 26 – June 2, 2018

May 25, 2018

ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)
Chiron is working on you to have a look at how you go about your work in the marketplace. The truth is, you won’t really get where you need to go until you integrate your derring-do with your acute underlying seam of sensitivity. Play with the idea of integration. See where it leads you.

TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 20)
Uranus has moved into Taurus. The sky has come to meet the earth. Uranus speaks to us about liberation. If we are comfortable, we have not the slightest desire to be liberated. Sometimes discomfort has to come first, before we will move towards the open door, the open sky.

GEMINI (May 21 – June 21)
The Sun has entered Gemini, bringing you an energy boost. Mercury is in Taurus, slowing you down and keeping you from fully spreading your wings. The Sun encourages us to have a go at really being ourselves in the world at large. To be free, bonds of conditioning have to break.

CANCER (June 22 – July 22)
The Moon begins her week in Libra. Libra is a cool place. It’s a little too focussed on ideas for you to be fully comfortable with it. This Moon will pull you out of the stream of feelings. Your feelings might not be serving you well, if they are running along without awareness. Cool your heels.

LEO (July 23 – Aug 22)
Get your foundations down. Dig into your resources. Figure out what your greatest resources are. They might not all be in the bank. As the Sun moves through Gemini, be curious and playful. The last thing you need right now is to slip into the disease of seriousness. Get to know yourself.

VIRGO (Aug 23 – Sept 22)
This is a quiet week. There are lots of chess pieces shuffling and moving around you; but with a bit of luck you will remain immune to the traffic. Keep it modest. Give yourself those humble pleasures that delight body, heart and soul. This might seem simple but the effect is profound.

LIBRA (Sept 23 – Oct 23)
The Moon begins the week in Libra. Get friendly with what you feel. This will help you to make your intentions stick. You are beginning to be affected by Chiron’s shift into Aries. As those who tend to test your nerves begin to shift around on the seesaw, so you will have to shift too.

SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 21)
All your energy is going into the quest for health and healing. This is not just about the health of your body. Your mind, feelings and soul are included too. See the obvious. Your environment affects you. Dive into the presence of mother nature to bring yourself right back to your bliss.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 – Dec 21)
The focus is on relationships – all kinds of relationships. There are issues of vulnerability and power on the hotplate. You will have to decide whether resolution is more likely with external help or without. Expansion and exponential growth is possible if you can get in to the core issues.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 19)
Relationships really only start to work when we can listen. To be able to listen, we have to be willing to take enough responsibility for our own feelings and neuroses that we can put them to one side. Saturn, Pluto and the asteroid Lilith are all in Capricorn, ensuring you do just this.

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 – Feb 18)
Mars is driving his way through your world. You were craving extra horsepower. Here it is. The last thing you need is to get rigid or set in your ways right now, which can happen. Bring the extra juice you’ve now got into the service of your highest quality – your capacity to innovate.

PISCES (Feb 19 – Mar 20)
You have access to authority and power. Nothing exposes us like being at the top of the tree. Every ego is capable of slipping on the banana skin of authority and power. With Neptune in your midst it’s likely that your illusions will be exposed. Have the courage to move closer to truth.