Perth Voice Interactive

PROTECTING statues of colonial figures, keeping Australia Day on January 26 and “removing vagrants and beggars” from city streets are top priorities for Perth council candidate Michael Sutherland.

He was the Liberal MP for Mt Lawley for two terms until he was ousted last year, and served as a Perth councillor and deputy lord mayor before that.

But his return to politics has been met with a lot of anger and accusations that he’s targeting Aboriginal people.

Accusations

His campaign video about anti-social behaviour in Wellington Square showed shots of Aboriginal people sitting in the park, and his wording “clean up the streets” and stance to protect colonial statues has seen his campaign Facebook page bombarded with accusations that he’s “racist”.

“Piss off you racist dog,” Geoff Guymer wrote.

Another comment said they didn’t need his racist South African views in Australia.

Craig Hollywood founded the homelessness support charity Short Back and Sides, which gives free haircuts and shaves to homeless people.

He described the video as insensitively mocking “traditional owners”.

“Homelessness is obviously a very complex issue with no single solution,” Mr Hollywood said.

“Factors such as cost of housing, unemployment, and entrenched poverty need to be addressed.

“We don’t need people in power who see homelessness as something that needs to be ‘cleaned up’ or who share views such as, and I quote, ‘Government and business also spend millions every year trying to attract tourists, investors and students to live and spend in our city [Perth]. What is the point if they are going to end up seeing this when they arrive?’”

Should current lord mayor Lisa Scaffidi’s appeals against her disqualification fail and her job come up for grabs, Mr Hollywood says voters should steer clear of Mr Sutherland [if he puts up his hand as expected] because of his views.

Some of Mr Sutherland’s supporters haven’t helped his cause on on his campaign Facebook page: he’s even had the official Reclaim Australia account log in and cheer him on.

Mr Sutherland said “I’m not trying to be racist at all: there’s white beggars in the city too.”

“I think unfortunately people see it as an attack on all Aboriginals, it’s not.

“People make the most horrible comments and I’ve got to cop it.”

He says he’s been here for 30 years, after leaving South Africa to get away from the racist government, and was a member of the SA party that opposed apartheid, yet people still accuse him of importing apartheid views.

“It doesn’t matter what I’ve done: I was on the board of St Barts, I go to every ethnic community event, there was a Zambian boy who I knew who needed a guarantor for his fees, I guarantored for him…[but] you can’t tell these people anything.”

He’s copped flak because his Wellington Square video only featured Aboriginal people, but he said those were the only people there when he filmed and his priority is making the area safe for everyone to enjoy.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re black, white or brindle, if you’re not behaving yourself you’re not welcome.”

He says residents around the park are crying out for action: “I had a guy who said ‘I have a unit that overlooks Wellington Square. I can’t sell it’,” and another who told him he couldn’t lease his office space.

After statues of pro-slavery figures were pulled down in America, the issue of statues that commemorate colonial figures has generated a lot of debate.

“I don’t like that type of thing at all, this business of rewriting history and putting a 2017 slant on things that happened 150 years ago,” he says.

“If we do this we might as well go through all the old museums and destroy statues of Nero”.

by DAVID BELL

THERE are a few wins in the budget for Voiceland, but overall Perth MP John Carey says “there’s no sugar coating it…it is tough, but I think it’s fair, and the key issue is reducing the expense growth of government agencies and government itself”.

The budget’s been hammered by the opposition for its new taxes (a hike in payroll tax to affect 1,300 big employers and gold royalties will jump up when the gold price rises) but Mr Carey agrees with party brass that it was needed to get the state’s $32.5billion debt under control.

There’s some good news locally though:

Perth

Mr Carey says “the key focus in my electorate is there’s $68 million for the inner city high schools, we’ve committed to a timeframe, we’ve put money in the budget and appointed architects.”

There’s also $3.5m for Mount Hawthorn Primary School to go double storey to cope with student numbers.

“And then a smaller measure which I’m pleased about: I made a commitment to pedestrian safety, and it has been a hot issue, so I’m really pleased to see the first [pedestrian crossing]’s nearly done in Fitzgerald Street, and another two are being installed, one on Charles Street, one on Vincent Street.”

The Charles Street crossing will be near Kyilla Primary School, where parents having been keen to get one for years, and the Vincent Street crossing will be near Beatty Park.

“I want to give credit to the community for this; they lobbied me on it, they campaigned for it,” Mr Carey said.

The Perth Parking Levy (a sum that Perth and Vincent councils have to pay the state government for every parking bay in an area around the CBD) has also been frozen. Perth and Vincent councils were fearing an increase, and mayors Lisa Scaffidi and Emma Cole both put up motions to write to the state asking them not to put it up any higher. It’s stayed steady this year, and Mr Carey says the transport department’s now working on a 10-year plan for the Perth parking levy on how it can be invested back into the city.

“One of the things I’m advocating for is that the PPL pay for an expansion of CAT bus services into the night time.” The idea of a “black CAT” running evenings was one of the most popular ideas at the Perth City Summit community forum he held in August.

Maylands

The big plus for Maylands is the $50m redevelopment of John Forrest Secondary College, due to kick off in 2019. The Drake Street school will get new facilities for design and technology, science, home economics, computer studies, visual arts, drama, music and media, along with a new admin building, cafeteria and gym (with the old gym being turned into a dance hall).

Maylands MP Lisa Baker says JFSC is one of the oldest schools in the state and is in need of an upgrade: ”I am pleased to have helped secure funding after a nine-year push…the new performing arts centre will be the highlight of the upgrade and will add to the school’s impressive music, cricket and tennis speciality programs”.

There’s also cash to complete the missing shared-path links along the Midland line, $1m to fix the cruddy Walter Road and Wellington Street intersection, and there’s been $50,000 in upgrades for the Maylands Tennis Club and $45,000 for Environment House, near the Bayswater wetlands, through the Local Projects, Local Jobs program.

The anti-social problems in the Maylands town centre should also get a bit of relief with $140,000 funding secured for public toilets and CCTV.

“The state budget is focussed on the things that really matter to people in Maylands…like creating more jobs and investing in essential services like health and education,” Ms Baker says.

Mount Lawley

Schools are also the big winner in this part of town, with Mt Lawley Senior High getting a $4m upgrade for specialist facilities and new classrooms, following increased enrolments.

Mt Lawley MP Simon Millman says: “I’m thrilled every local school from Mount Lawley to Yokine, Coolbinia to West Morley will be receiving funding for exciting new programs or much-needed upgrades to play and assembly areas.

“It’s also fantastic that RTR FM has received a $120,000 grant to ensure community radio is properly supported and Perth’s vibrant creative scene can continue to flourish.”

by DAVID BELL

PRO-development group Future Bayswater is concerned the Bayswater town centre structure plan is half-hearted and will not enliven the area.

FB member Paul Shanahan says the plan does not permit enough building density and the budget is too small to transform the city centre and encourage people to live there.

He says the group are currently preparing a submission on the draft plan.

“Future Bayswater has continually advocated for planning that creates a vibrant and economically sustainable town centre,” Mr Shanahan says.

“We question whether the advertised densities in the BTCSP will achieve this.”

Densities planned for the “core” area are only medium density, and FB believes “these are too low for the core of a key Station precinct and will not create the vibrant centre that is desired by the community.

“In short, it almost appears the BTCSP is attempting to encourage people to live outside the town centre rather than in it. This will do nothing for vibrancy, amenity or sustainability.”

Having more density for housing in the town centre brings into question the fate of the heritage-listed buildings along King William Street.

Pro-heritage group Bayswater Deserves Better wants stronger protection for the 13 or so old-stock buildings that have been listed “classification 2” on Bayswater council’s heritage inventory (which means it can be easily overturned and demolished).

Future Bayswater says it should be up to the state heritage council.

“Future Bayswater believes that authentic heritage should be preserved,” Mr Shanahan says.

“We believe that the best people to decide on the heritage value of buildings in the BTC are the heritage council. They are experts who have a deep love of heritage.

“They have not classified any of the buildings in the BTC in the highest category.

“Future Bayswater would love to see the old buildings in the TC given a new lease of life by being integrated into new, mixed-use development.

“The question for Future Bayswater is:  What good does retaining such buildings do for the community—particularly future generations?’.”

The structure plan’s out for comment until September 27 at engage.bayswater.wa.gov.au, but given the state government’s just announced funding to upgrade Bayswater train station, Future Bayswater wants the plan to be reviewed and updated.

by DAVID BELL

DOGS and their humans are invited down to Supreme Court Gardens this Sunday for Hounds Day Out to raise money for Greyhound Adoptions WA.

The dogs get bred for racing but up to 500 greyhounds get put down every year in WA because they get injured, aren’t fast enough, don’t feel like racing, aren’t obedient at the track, or can’t be rehomed.

Even the ones that don’t get put down can live in pretty sad conditions in kennels where they don’t get much human contact.

The money goes to help Greyhound Adoptions WA save more than 300 of these lanky pooches a year, but with the industry breeding at such a large rate they can’t save them all.

Alanna Christiansen from Free the Hounds has had her greyhound Max for about two years.

Racing

She saw an ad for him on Facebook when his previous owner from the racing industry was selling him.

“He really did not look healthy and I could not stop thinking about him,” Ms Christiansen says.

“A few days later I messaged the owner and asked if I could buy him.”

The trainer had had him for three months “and apparently he had been pretty naughty at the track. He didn’t want to race anymore.”

Of his litter, only his sister is still alive. The rest were put down.

Ms Christiansen rescued him, and was planning to give him a temporary home until she could find something more permanent.

“But within three weeks I just couldn’t give him up.

“He was very shut down initially, because he’d been moved around so many times when he was racing. He can be a bit anxious, but he’s awesome now.”

While they’re speedy on the track, they’re not like kelpies which need a heap of exercise, and greyhounds are actually very lazy.

“They’re the easiest dogs!” Ms Christiansen says.

“They sleep about 20 hours a day.”  The campaign’s slogan is #couchesnotcages because the hounds nap so much.

The Hounds Day Out runs 10am to 1pm and there’ll be about 30 stalls and lots of doggy-based activities (including a competition to see which dog can catch the most food).

And all dogs are welcome, not just the leggy sort.

by DAVID BELL

AFTER years of campaigning and a few attempts by local councils, lightweight single-use plastic bags will be banned in WA from July next year.

Fremantle was the first council to attempt a local ban in 2013, but it was blocked by the former Liberal state government.

In June Vincent councillors voted “in principal” for a local ban, but while they were working out the nuts and bolts of their policy, the state government stepped in and announced a state-wide fatwa on Tuesday.

WA environment minister Stephen Dawson said “there has been an overwhelming response from people in the community who are really keen to see a state-wide ban on single-use plastic bags,” noting he’d received a lot of letters from school children calling for a ban.

“Studies have shown plastic pollution has a significant impact on our environment—seabirds have been found with their digestive tracts packed with plastic fragments and turtles can confuse plastic bags with jellyfish.”

Perth Labor MP John Carey says banning plastic bags was one of the top issues raised by his constituents.

“I want to thank the many locals who really got behind this campaign, I think this really is a win for the community,” he said.

Mr Carey’s stall at the Mt Hawthorn festival had a placcy bag petition and he says it was clear “people were really passionate about this issue.”

Maylands Labor MP Lisa Baker welcomed the ban.

“It’s been really well publicised the damage plastic does to wildlife, particularly in the ocean”.

She said a WA ban was long overdue as even Kenya’s now banned single-use placcy bags (although they have a four-year prison sentence if you’re caught with them, which she thought was a bit too far).

Along with the container deposit scheme that’ll let people exchange empty recyclable bottles and cans for 10 cents, the bag ban aims to reduce the amount of plastic that winds up in the environment.

A lot of people use the free bags from supermarkets as bin liners, and a 2012 review of South Australia’s bag ban found there was a big increase in people buying bin liners after the ban came in, while in the ACT the levels didn’t jump much.

But unlike errant free plastic bags floating down the street, paid-for bin liners end up in landfill instead of waterways.

by DAVID BELL

PERTH’S Uniting Church in the City has put beehives on the roof of its William Street building as part of its ongoing green push.

Over the last year the church has installed the largest solar panel in the CBD on its rooftop, three 2000-litre water tanks to flush toilets in their buildings, and a rooftop garden with beehives (the stripey insects being vital to human life on earth through their pollination).

The church’s efforts have earned them two Five Leaf Eco-Awards, a recently created gong to encourage churches and religious groups to be more environmental friendly, in a throwback to humans being stewards over the earth.

Environmentalism has long been a topic of debate in Christianity: much of Medieval Christianity had an anthropocentric view that the earth was here for human consumption, but around the 13th century, St Francis of Assisi preached humans should protect nature as part of God’s creation. The competing views are still debated today.

The Five Leaf awards started in 2010 and has inspired churches from across the country to be more environmental friendly, including crosses made of solar panels, setting up community gardens and sermons with environmental themes.

Reverend Craig Collas from UCIC Wesley says “there is great passion and concern for the environment within the community, including within churches.”

“This year, Wesley has taken up the challenge of seeing what we could do, even with an inner city site, to reduce our carbon footprint and make a difference for the environment.

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The humble bumble

BEES have been an important animal in Christian theological dialogues, often used by writers in allegory and fable to teach lessons about good living:

• Writing in the 7th century, Isidore of Seville wrote admiringly of the bee’s ability to organise and drew lessons for mankind: he wrote they “build their houses with great skill, gather honey from various flowers, weave wax to fill their homes with many offspring, have kings and armies with which they wage war, free from smoke, and are irritated by noise”. He was off on a few things: he also thought bees were born from the flesh of slaughtered cows.

• St Anthony of Padua, giving sermons in the 12th and 13th century, compared bees to Christian penitents, and said they always keep busy to stave away the devil. He said penitents ought to do as bees, and when their king flies from the hive, they should fly with him, and said Christ was like a king bee we should follow.

• In the 13th Century, Bartholomaeus Anglicus wrote of his admiration for bees’ communal living: “The properties of bees are wonderful noble and worthy. For bees have one common kind as children, and dwell in one habitation, and are closed within one gate: one travail is common to them all, one meat is common to them all, one common working, one common use, one fruit and flight is common to them all, and one generation is common to them all.”

He also believed bees were self-policing and chose the noblest, fairest and most clear-minded among them as king, but the king never used his stinger to enforce the law: He said that bees who transgressed the king’s law would just voluntarily sting themselves to death (Source: The 1995 Steele edition of De Proprietatibus Rerum, book 12).

by DAVID BELL