TOWN centre streets in Leederville will be car-free for four Sundays, starting on February 11.
After a successful car-free trial last March, Vincent council is this year banning gas guzzlers as it teams up with Fringe Festival for the two-week Leedypalooza event.
February 11 is “Unfair Day”, held by Leederville Connect and Fringe World, and is billed as the “best worst family street fair you’re most unwelcome to attend”.
• Last year’s car-free trial in Leederville town centre was a success. File photo
There’s unlucky dips, bad family portraits, misfortune cookies, and organisers promise it’ll be “regrettably unforgettable”.
For the second week of Leedypalooza on February 18, it’s Dancin in the Streets, turning Oxford Street into a real-life music video for dance-off showdown, 3pm to 9.40pm.
On February 25 and March 4, it’s back to the usual Leedy Streets opening, with local businesses spilling out onto the street and roving entertainment.
Many years in the making, Vincent mayor Emma Cole said she had a real “happy dance moment” in signing and executing the council’s Local Planning Scheme 2.
The scheme will in part see an end to the two Claisebrook concrete batching plants that many locals feel have held back the area’s development.
Ms Cole says “we finally have a modern scheme for development in Vincent which strikes a very good balance between maintaining our character and residential neighbourhoods whilst meeting our density targets”.
• Vincent mayor Emma Cole with council development services director John Corbellini.
Among many updates the scheme will help preserve the few remaining old-timey “R20” zoned areas, formerly known as the Eaton Precinct, straddling North Perth and Mt Hawthorn.
For about a decade the council’s had to enact one sunset clause after another trying to keep the R20 zoning in place, in an effort to preserve the character homes, but under the new planning scheme they will be protected.
It’d been a nervous wait to see if acting WA planning minister Ben Wyatt would agree to sign off the city’s plans for Claisebrook, and Ms Cole says signing it “was a happy dance moment for me”.
There’s one tiny final technical step: Ms Cole having signed-off on the changes that were handed back from the state government, it now has to go back to Mr Wyatt for a final squiggle of approval.
THERE’S nothing trashy about circus skills, unless it’s the Trash Test Dummies, who do extraordinary things with the humble wheelie bin.
“With a little imagination the bins become cars, hideaway trenches, chariots, rocket ships, musical instruments and equipment for circus madness,” creator and performer Jamie Brennan says.
Along with Isaac Salter, Thomas McDonald and Leigh Rhodes, he’s been wheelie binning around the world since graduating from the National Institute for Circus Arts in 2013.
They’ve already toured in the UK, Ireland, China, Korea, the US and New Zealand, and have been invited back to the Edinburgh Fringe four years in a row, each time to sell-out audiences.
The show has received rave reviews and won a heap of awards, including the Best Children’s Presentation at the 2015 and 2016 Adelaide Fringe Festival.
• The Trash Test Dummies get creative with waste. Photo by Ivan Bartholomew
A new country means new wheelie bins, which has been a learning curve, Brennan says.
“In the US, the bins were a little different with nuts and bolts on the inside.
“So we got a bit beaten up, but we went on with the show.
“In China we got the wrong size and were lifting an extra 10 kilos about our heads.”
The show involves eight bins, but the troupe owns more than 20.
“We never thought we would know so much about wheelie bins,” Brennan says.
Trash Test Dummies is full of fun, music, dance and gravity defying moves in a 55-minute show aimed at kids, “but we are often likened to a Pixar film…and it is just as enjoyable for adults,” Brennan says.
Part of Fringe World, it’s on at the Pleasure Gardens, Russell Square, Northbridge, 3.30pm, January 27–30 and February 9–10. Tix at fringeworld.com.au
WHEN Hollywood needed a drop-dead gorgeous location for the fictional Mongibello in The Talented Mr Ripley, they chose the Italian island of Ischia.
Feeling murderously hungry and in the mood for Italian it was Ischia for the D’Angers too, but we don’t have a private jet, so we had to make do with Ischia Restaurant in Highgate.
All around us people were enjoying woodfired pizza, whether a bianche (no tomato sauce) or a rosse, basically a Margherita with a myriad of topping options.
There’s a bianca with roasted potatoes, fresh Italian pork sausage and caramelised onion ($24) or a four-cheese formaggi ($23), and rosse with prawns, wild mushrooms and smoked mozzarella ($25), or with ventricina salami, pancetta, leg ham and pork sausage ($23).
You can also get pizza by the metre, with 60, 120 and 180cm options for the hungry hordes.
My pizza-loving hubby wanted something simple, and opted for a straight Margherita ($16).
Simple it may have been, but the tomato sauce was deliciously rich with mozzarella, parmigiano cheeses and fresh basil.
The secret to a good dough is in the proofing, and the owners, brothers Sebi and Daniele Conte, ensure theirs takes two days, guaranteeing an exceptionally light and fluffy base.
I’d spotted the specials board and and opted for the penne alla cafona ($21).
The tubes were perfectly al dente, and the napolitana sauce, with eggplant, capsicum and basil, was wonderfully oily.
As with all good pasta, the deeper I got in to the dish the richer the flavours became, causing me to slow down to really appreciate them.
We finished our meal with a couple of tora caprese ($9).
Served warm it was rather like a soft and moist fudge, with a nice almond crunch and a chocolate rush that, like the three bears porridge, was just right, not too sweet and not too sharp.
The service was spot on, and when the wind whipped through the alfresco area, staff were happy to move us to a more sheltered table inside, which still had views of Beaufort Street and the Mary Street piazza.
by JENNY D’ANGER
Ischia Restaurant 500 Beaufort Street, Highgate 9227 7762 open Sun–Thurs 12 noon to 10pm, Fri/Sat until 11pm licenced
ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20) Life has it’s stressful moments, as we all know. If one comes your way this week, be aware not to over-think it. That’s not generally your style but tricky Mercury is placed in a delicate spot for all Rams. You haven’t got as much power as you think. Play your cards close to your chest.
TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 20) You would like everything to settle down into cosy normality. Venus in Aquarius has other ideas. She is tearing down fences and doing everything imaginable to inculcate a sense of liberation – all in the name of love. You will find a home in your heart. That’s where the eye of the storm is.
GEMINI (May 21 – June 21) The Moon begins her week in Gemini. This fills you with emotional thrills. The Aquarian Sun is similarly exciting. It is giving you the sense that outlandish positive possibilities may just manifest – against all odds. There is no harm in being a cock-eyed optimist. Dream colourful dreams.
CANCER (June 22 – July 22) The Aquarian Sun, mixed with a few other mysterious stellar influences, is encouraging you to lift your eyes and look towards the wide horizon. Having knuckled down and gotten your affairs in order, the time has come to dream again. Your heart is begging you to listen. So, listen!
LEO (July 23 – Aug 22) As long as the Sun is in Aquarius, you can assume that any idea of an ordered universe that you may have been harbouring, is going to scatter in the wind. The good thing is, that if you can let any rigidity that has been besetting you go, your intuition will soon function brilliantly. Trust life.
VIRGO (Aug 23 – Sept 22 It’s not easy to let go – and yet it is our capacity to let go that keeps us alive and open to the next adventure. Don’t be too distracted by any of the surprising events happening around you. It’s just the Aquarian Sun having some fun. Stay focussed on seeing your process through fully.
LIBRA (Sept 23 – Oct 23) You are hanging on to your position of power by the skin of your teeth. The fates have given you a good run, that’s for sure. You have still got the opportunity to heal a rift. All you have to do is access and express your feelings. The realness of your emotions will resonate with others.
SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 21) Your moment it nigh. Mars has left. He has helped prepare the ground with his planetary grunt but he lacks the subtlety to take you the next step. It’s time to accept responsibility. You are free to make decisions that will help you discard any blinkers you might be wearing. Be expansive.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 – Dec 21) Mars has just slipped into Sagittarius. Though he is a slightly unruly planet, he certainly makes things happen. What he lacks in style, he makes up for in substance. Your horse part just grew bigger and stronger. Can you ride it, or will it buck you off? Tame your limbic brain, quickly.
CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 19) Slowly you are making your way out of a lull. People are important. Connecting with those you feel comfortable with and can trust, will fill you with the optimism you need for the next step in your journey. Your mind is proving to be more of a tricky customer than the minds of others.
AQUARIUS (Jan 20 – Feb 18) The Sun and Venus are having a party in Aquarius. Life is treating you well. Opportunities are coming your way. Watch out for hubris. Remember; excitement can easily blind us and turn into a disease state, if we don’t maintain awareness. Watch out for old habits that could trip you up.
PISCES (Feb 19 – Mar 20) The future is talking to you. You can sense something special in the wind but can’t quite visualise what it might be as yet. Get out your scribble pad. Write notes to yourself with your non-dominant hand. Do a guided visualisation that involves a magic wand. You need to name your aim.
Except when you get old and your nearest and dearest trick you into granting them power of attorney and commandeer your life savings and property.
Unfortunately, financial abuse of seniors is becoming more widespread, and its often greedy offspring who are the most likely to rip you off.
According to Advocare, which launched the WA elder abuse hotline in 2014, financial abuse (34 per cent) and psychological abuse (33 per cent) were the most common forms of elderly abuse, with adult children being the most likely perpetrators.
Perth lawyer John Hammond says he is encountering more and more cases of elderly abuse and they usually involve greedy sons, daughters, nieces or nephews that can’t wait to get their hands on their elderly relation’s booty.
“I have been told of family members stealing cash, jewellery, cars and other assets from the elderly,” he says.
“I am aware of assets being fraudulently transferred e.g. houses worth millions of dollars, and family members forging their parents’ signatures to transfer assets.
“And I’ve heard of family members acting unconscionably, to the extent of forcing their elderly mum to live with them in her declining years and using that proximity to pressure mum to change her will in their favour.”
• There’s been a rise in the number of elderly people being ripped-off by their offspring.
WA aged care resident, “Gwen”, is one of the many who have suffered financial abuse and been helped by Advocare.
She was in hospital having major surgery when she appointed her son, who lived interstate, enduring power of attorney.
After recovering from the op, she wanted to take control back of her finances, and discovered that financial abuse had taken place.
Advocare assisted her in revoking her son’s EPA and changes were made to her banking arrangements to ensure that her son no longer had access to her accounts.
The WA government is so concerned about elderly financial abuse it has launched an inquiry into the issue, to be tabled in parliament on September 13.
The inquiry has so far been told that an estimated one in 20 of WA’s 350,000 seniors will have experienced violence, exploitation or neglect, often perpetrated by a family member.
WA seniors minister Mick Murray says he is is working to expedite legislation that would provide more financial protection for seniors.
“Advice from the office of the attorney general is that the investigation of policy options to expedite amending enduring powers of attorney and guardianship laws are currently underway,” he says.
“Work has already begun to scope development of an education program for professionals who frequently work with seniors, so that they are better able to identify possible elder abuse and to help victims access relevant support services.
“Funding for the elder abuse helpline has already been extended to 31 December, 2018.”
Mr Hammond says that the laws to protect the elderly from financial abuse are already quite comprehensive.
“The State Administrative Tribunal has broad powers to remove attorneys (under enduring powers of attorney and enduring powers of guardianship) where a party is acting improperly—don’t wait to file at SAT if this is occurring,” he says.
And he’s got a few tips for those worried about potential abuse:
• consult a lawyer and never in the presence of your family members (who may have interests adverse to yours);
• seek independent accounting advice;
• make sure you have an up-to-date will and the will reflects your current wishes;
• review your will every 5 years;
• consider whether you require a power of attorney in the event that you are physically and or mentally incapacitated;
• prepare a list of your assets and liabilities in an easy-to-read format for your advisors;
• trust is absolutely vital—if you have doubts, your doubts are generally right! Only trust those you know will do the right thing to manage your estate.
You can call Advocare’s WA Elder abuse helpline on 1300 724 679.
A SUGGESTIVE grapefruit has fallen foul of Facebook’s censors.
An advert for Lucy Peach’s Fringe show My Greatest Period Ever featured a picture of a grapefruit which resembled a vulva, prompting the social media titan to remove it and deactivate the folk musician’s ad account.
Her show urges people to be empowered by periods and not be ashamed of them.
• Fringe performer Lucy Peach
Deactivated
While Facebook didn’t specify why the ad had breached its guidelines, Ms Peach believes it is down to the tongue-in-cheek image of the halved grapefruit.
Ms Peach says all communications with FB over the banned ad were via automated-style messages : “It’s really hard because you don’t speak to a real person,” she says.
Banning the ad sent a negative message “there is something wrong with your body, the way that you’ve been made”.
“With this new show we’re trying to empower girls and the next generation…I’m just really conscious of the fact that for many girls they’re not going to hear positive things about the menstrual cycle.
“But when you consider it has such an impact on who you are as a person and how you go about your life, it’s something that you can harness, not something you have to cope with.”
My Greatest Period Ever returns after a successful run at last year’s Fringe Festival, and Peach is also running a new companion piece How to Period Like a Unicorn, aimed at younger audiences.
She had planned to advertise on Instagram (which is favoured by younger people over Facebook), but because the company bought Instagram in 2012, her ad account is deactivated on both. She can’t even advertise her non-period related folk music shows.
• The ad Facebook found was just too seedy.
How to Period Like a Unicorn is aimed at people around 10-14, but the age limit’s mutable as some start their period early or are ready to hear about it younger, but due to festival rules they need a parent or guardian to come along.
The show’s description reads: “If you are a parent, I promise: your child is safe with us. Knowledge is power and it isn’t a long bow to assume that this awareness could enable girls to love and care for themselves and in turn, expect that others will too.”
Ms Peach’s husband and co-performer Richard Berney says everyone can benefit from learning about periods, saying the show is “steeped in science…it’s about the combination of hormones that hit a woman over 28 days.”
Ms Peach says “people think your menstrual cycle is ‘you either have your period or you don’t have it’. If you’re lucky some people will know that you ovulate. But within the month you have four hormonal phases,” and she gets the most done during the “power week” in the lead-up to ovulation.
Mr Berney says “Lucy herself schedules all this [work] stuff in her dynamic week. It’s a week where you’re kicking arse.”
Ms Peach says “a lot of people will come to the show as an older person and say “I wish I had known this.
“If you don’t understand that you are meant to have four phases, then you put pressure on yourself to feel linear and the same all month long.”
ELEVEN-YEAR-OLD Thea Campbell is hoping to break the world record for most dogs at a grooming session, while raising funds for the Shenton Park Dogs Refuge Home.
She’s holding the record attempt at a Doggie Dinner Movie Night, where they’ll show Lady and the Tramp, with doggie mocktails and free dog spaghetti, so pooches can recreate the famous spaghetti-kissing scene.
Campbell’s based in Beechboro but her family’s business, Honey I’m Home Produce, is in Maylands so she’s holding it at the Maylands Sport and Rec Centre on Clarkson Road.
A dog lover all her life, she says “I waited three years until I got my own puppy, because pretty much every day I asked for my own puppy”.
• Thea Campbell shows her beloved whippet, Rozie, to Maylands MP Lisa Baker. Photo supplied
She now has her own dog, a beloved whippet named Rozie, but her dream is to live on enough land to have a whole pack of dogs.
“I’m hoping I can persuade daddy to get a dingo if we move,” she says.
Campbell, who’s homeschooled, previously raised $500 for Shenton Park dogs refuge home.
She’s invited along the local Maylands MP, animal lover Lisa Baker, who says “when Thea first walked into my office as a 10-year-old, she came with an extensive business plan about her future enterprise – a welfare charity and coffee shop, complete with financial projections.
“I was absolutely stunned and wanted to support her in her animal welfare efforts.
“Shenton Park Dog Refuge is the largest and most efficient dog rehoming service in the state. I have supported the refuge for 10 years and have seen them complete some remarkable work.”
The record attempt and dinner is at 5.30pm, on February 3, at 50 Clarkson Road.
Bring a picnic and whatever you use to groom your dog.
The University of South Australia is looking for 40 pet cats in Bayswater to be fitted with GPS tracking collars as part of a nationwide study.
Previous research by the university found cats had five main personality types: skittish, outgoing, dominant, spontaneous and friendly, and they want to compare personalities to cats’ roaming patterns.
Bayswater mayor Dan Bull says it’s the only WA council participating in the trial, which will track 1400 cats across the nation.
“We want to be at the forefront of educating residents on responsible pet ownership,” he says.
“The GPS will tell us and residents how far their cats are travelling: if they’re crossing busy roads and if they’re spending time in local wetland and bushland areas.
“The information collected helps owners understand their cat’s movements and keep animals safe from harm.”
Previous research by the university of SA found cats roam far further than their owners expected—some covering territories the size of 30 rugby fields—and that moggies are often outside when owners think they’re fast asleep at home.
The research also found indoor cats tended to be friendlier.
BIG names in local music will play the free concert 6006 in the Park at Woodville Reserve on Sunday, January 28.
Put on by community association North Perth Local and Vincent council, Felicity Groom, Tired Lion, the Rick Steele Band and newcomer Spacey Jane will take the stage, with a welcome to country performed by Whudjuk traditional owner Matthew McGuire.
6006 in the Park is one of the events North Perth Local has been able to run since they pulled the plug on the annual Angove Street Festival, which ran for six years and attracted 50,000 people, but ended up consuming nearly all of the group’s resources.
• Felicity Groom will play for free at 6006 in the Park. Photo supplied
In 2017, NPL opted instead to put on a number of smaller local events throughout the year, including last year’s Halloween Street Party, which let kids trick or treat in a safe environment on Angove Street.
NPL chair Ida Smithwick says they trialled the first 6006 in the Park last year “and it was very successful: we had about 1500 to 2000 people there, and the kids had a great time”.
She says they want to reflect North Perth being a family area, so this year they’ve got a heap of free activities for kids, including a baby animal farm, bouncy castle and facepainters.
• Tired Lion plays at the launch event for 6006 in the Park. Photo by John Carey
The North Perth community garden is open, and Ms Smithwick says with the large number of apartments in the suburb, the community garden’s a good option for residents who don’t have a backyard.
The North Perth men’s shed is also having an open day, from 4pm-6pm, so if you’ve been keen to do some tinkering—but can’t fit a bandsaw on your 1x2m balcony—then head down for a chat.
6006 in the Park runs from 4pm to 9pm, at the corner of Woodville Reserve and Farmer Streets.
Perth Voice Interactive 