NORTH Perth resident Rachel Zombor is preparing to travel to Antarctica with 80 of the world’s most promising female leaders as part of Homeward Bound.
Following a competitive worldwide selection process, 80 women with scientific backgrounds will participate in a 12-month leadership program, culminating in a three-week voyage to Antarctica, which will push their leadership skills to the limit.
Following a conversation with her father about gender inequality in the workplace and after watching footage from last year’s Homeward Bound, Zombor was itching to get her snowshoes on.
“The more I read, the more amazing I thought it was,” she says.
It aims to better equip women with the skills they need to be leaders, and for women in scientific fields to gain more recognition.
The program is extremely hard to get into, but this year five women from WA were accepted. The participants are diverse and include experienced career woman and those just starting out in the workplace.
“One of the philosophies of the course is a non-hierarchical environment”, Zombor says.
The trip itself is partly funded, but participants have to fundraise $16,000 and pay their own airfares.
Zombor says finding sponsors and crowd-funding are an important part of the experience as it encourages participants to be pro-active and self-sufficient.
“The trip is really looking at the issues around gender inequality,” she says.
Zombor doesn’t have any set goals she wants to achieve, but is keeping an open mind and hopes to glean as much as she can from the trip.
She leaves for Antarctica on February 18 next year.
BAYSWATER councillors have moved to close a loophole in their local law that allowed liquor barns to be built in residential areas.
“We’d look foolish if we let it happen again,” mayor Barry McKenna said at the last full council meeting.
The council recently had a setback in its years-long battle to stop a Dan Murphy’s being built on the Peninsula Tavern site, a plan also opposed by local Labor MP Lisa Baker and the Maylands Residents and Ratepayers Association.
Big liquor stores aren’t allowed in that area under the council’s Town Planning Scheme, but taverns are.
A tavern licence would normally cover a pub that had a small drive-thru liquor shop attached, but the state government’s Development Assessment Panel reckoned a 1000sqm liquor barn could be included under that classification, as it would be tacked onto the Peninsula Tavern.
Public interest
The Liquor Commission refused it a liquor licence saying the applicant ALH hadn’t proved the project was “in the public interest”, but it appealed and the supreme court reckoned the commission got it wrong, ordering them to reconsider their decision.
Bayswater council’s now moved to close the loophole that let Dan Murphy’s in under a tavern classification, “so we don’t get other providers opening up large liquor barns in inappropriate areas” mayor Barry McKenna explained at the April council meeting.
Now any place selling packaged liquor will need to be approved as either a “liquor store — large” or “liquor store — small” and not get in under other classifications.
“We thought we had all bases covered … this council did not want Woolworths to put a Dan Murphy’s essentially in a residential area,” Cr McKenna said. “I have no problem with Woolworth and Dan Murphy’s being in the appropriately zoned areas”, like the Galleria precinct, he said.
The change will have to be approved by the WA Planning Commission.
KEEPING gardens green has wrought havoc on Perth’s rivers, as fertiliser run off enters drains and causes algal blooms in the Swan and Canning Rivers.
The problem is particularly bad at Maylands foreshore, so environmental scientist and TV gardener Josh Byrne is running a free workshop at Bayswater council to teach residents how to keep a healthy garden without threatening the health of the river.
He’ll advise on the best plants for your garden, hydrozoning (grouping plants with similar watering needs to cut down on overwatering) and designing your irrigation efficiently, along with responsible fertiliser use and alternatives to the old phosphorus-laden fertilisers.
Gardeners can also find out the best way to support local biodiversity and keep a garden that local birds and bees enjoy.
IT’S cute but a bit clapped out, and now one of Mayland’s heritage-listed workers cottages is set to get a new life at the front of a group of five two-storey townhouses.
Bayswater council officers have recommended the council approve an application to partly demolish the category three heritage cottage at 104 Eighth Avenue and reposition it at the front of the development.
Arasi Construction Pty Ltd had argued that the size and layout of the cottage made it unsellable in a modern market. Instead, it wants to keep just the hip roof, weatherboard cladding, bull nose verandah, decorative valance, central front door and double hung sash windows and bung something a bit bigger and more modern on the back.
Council staff say the modern addition is acceptable because it doesn’t try to replicate a heritage look and it’s set back.
“It is acknowledged that relocating the heritage building may diminish the heritage value of the place to some degree as the original setting of a heritage place intrinsically has some heritage value, particularly when landscaping or other external features tie in with the heritage value of the built form,” the officer’s report stated.
Stand fast, Lisa DOES WA’s capital city really want to step back a decade; even return to the 20th century?
There’s real and present danger of this happening were Perth lord mayor Lisa Scaffidi to bow to the cruel pressures that currently she’s looking in the eye.
Given such adversity, the fair minded among us can but trust that she finds strength in remembering the words of Sir Winston Churchill: never, never, never, never…
Perth is Mrs Scaffidi’s beloved home and castle.
Best we keep this in mind; we forget it at our peril.
Deep peace to all. Bill Proude First Avenue, Mt Lawley
Children are our future HOW delicious: ‘An enigma wrapped inside a Bill’, (Voice letters, May 6, 2017).
Roald Dahl lives! Perth Voice ought to swamped with youthful demands for elaboration.
If only the teaching of curiosity hadn’t been abandoned along with the three Rs
If only “Gonski” had become an alternative spelling for “history”.
These opinions from the perspective of an octogenarian apprenticeship (ending August) at a time when asking why seems to risk giving offence.
Of course, an editor is entitled to his secrets.
Viva Roald Dahl! Charlie Benskin Kingston Street, Nedlands
Da Doo Ron Ron JUST when you think that the world is crazy enough, along comes the regular letter from Ron Willis.
Can we be given any hope of his retirement soon? Jeremy Porteus Learoyd Street, Mt Lawley
Get some starch WHY the problem with plastic bags — please explain.
A few years ago I left a couple of plastic shopping bags in my suitcase after a trip overseas.
The next time I went to use my suitcase one of the bags had turned to white powder, while the other bag looked like the day I left it in there.
One was made of starch.
We are told that starch-based biodegradable bags are expensive.
We use 30 million bags per year in WA alone.
The last Pacific survey of sea birds by Greenpeace found plastic in over 90 per cent of birds they captured.
The National Academy Of Science. stated in August 2010 that by 2050 all sea birds will have plastic in their gut. They mistake it for jellyfish.
If we made all the bags of starch they would obviously be cheaper; no one would complain but the oil companies.
It really does seems like a no brainer. Time for change no more excuses. JJ Paterson Wood Street, Fremantle
Papal wisdom I URGE world leaders to take the wise advice of Pope Francis and play a key role in settling the dispute between North Korea and US through mediation.
The Pope has rightly pointed out that if this conflict escalated to a war, a good part of humanity would be destroyed. Once war erupts, allies on both sides of the conflict would be forced in to a fully fledged nuclear war and there would be no other option left for perusal by any party. Usman Mahmood South Bowenfels
Facebook fury
OUR report on Perth office workers helping themselves to Manna Inc’s free meals for the homeless had readers furious on Facebook this week. Here’s a few of the messages we got:
Disgusting, I’d have no trouble voicing my opinion to these freeloaders that think it’s ok to essentially steal from people who need it most. Kimberley Skinner
Manna Inc work tirelessly in a very quiet & industrious way to improve the lot of homeless folk.
Unless you are in close proximity to the park for about half an hour you would not notice their operation as the homeless move on quickly & quietly.
The pity of it is that a few greedy knuckleheads with the means to support themselves think it’s OK to impose themselves upon a charity that is already stretched to the limit. Kathryn Hamilton
I’ve cooked on a couple of occasions at Manna, they do great work.
These local workers are stealing from the homeless. Ian Ball
Absolute scum.
Take pics of the office workers, etc and post them. Jason Outten
This is so painfully disgraceful.
Shame. Melanie Anastas
THE redevelopment zone surrounding 140 William Street has been the catalyst for a swag of top lunch spots opening in the city.
My lunch buddy was a veggo, so we wandered along the street trying to pick an eatery that would keep us both happy, but the first advertisement I saw reawakened my caveman gene.
I wouldn’t normally take a vegetarian to a joint called Ribs & Burgers, but I was hypnotised by a photo of southern chicken, and knew if I didn’t try it I’d be dreaming about the good ol’ boys all night.
Melting
I’ll probably have to do penance at some raw food kale-fest place for this ooga booga outing, but Ribs had a token veggie section so my buddy traipsed inside.
I didn’t need to study the half dozen variations of beef burger to know what I wanted, going straight for the southern chicken burger ($14.90).
It’s great value and you get a huge slab of deep fried chicken (think KFC gone posh), spilling out either side of the bun, clad in a double serve of melting cheese.
Some greens and red onion add a refreshing crunch, and the chipotle pink sauce is bitey and sweet.
And yes, it looked like the picture.
I give this Boss Hogg dish ten out of ten and would definitely order it again.
There’s only one vegetarian burger on the menu, but it is not a half-assed “regular burger with the patty taken out”.
Instead, the veggie stack ($14.90) looks like half a farmer’s market was stuffed into a bun.
A big grilled field mushroom sits on a bed of lettuce, tomato and onion, and draped on top is a thick slab of perfectly cooked haloumi.
At the summit of the burger is a crunchy layer of onion rings, creating five different textures in a hearty feast.
They look after herbivores here, even if the selection did look limited at first, and you can have pretty much have any combo of salads and toppings on the veggie burger.
For sides we shared some sweet potato fries ($7.90) and they were top notch: crisp, sweet and not oily, there’s plenty to go around, and the accompanying aioli is fresh and tangy.
There are a few Ribs & Burgers over east and they’re doing well, but this is the first one in WA.
They’re bright, clean and fresh and a welcome alternative to the staid old bain maries and chancy food courts we had to pick from not that long ago.
AMERICAN jazz singer Vivian Sessoms will bring the sounds of her native Harlem to Perth this month when she headlines the International Jazz Festival.
Sessoms’ life has always been steeped in music; her mother was a session singer, her father a flautist and percussionist who performed with the legendary James Brown.
Despite being a huge fan, Sessoms was unaware that her dad played with the man they call the Godfather of Soul.
“As a little girl I loved James Brown to the point of being obsessed with him,” she says.
“We lived a few blocks from the Apollo Theatre in Harlem and whenever I saw that James Brown was performing, I would want my mother to take me to see him.
“I would be very upset when she didn’t have tickets.
“I knew that my father played an instrument, but when my mother pointed out to me who he was on stage with, I didn’t quite understand it!
Following in her parents’ footsteps, Sessoms has forged a successful music career, performing with Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Donna Summer and Cher.
Sessoms says her all-time favourites to work with were Patti Austin and Joe Cocker.
“They were two of the funniest, kindest, most genuine and generous people I ever worked with,” she says.
“Patti especially taught me a tremendous amount about music and performance, she was a very gracious woman to work for.
“And Joe was the same, both very lovely people.”
This will be the second time Sessoms has performed at the PIJZ and she’s looking forward to reuniting with some of Perth’s finest talent, including jazz pianist Graham Wood, who runs the Ellington Jazz Club.
“I can honestly say that some of the best shows I’ve had in the last five years have been in Australia,” Sessoms says. The last time I played in Perth I had an amazing band of local musicians, and now that I’m headlining I’ve got a super special show planned.”
The Perth International Jazz Festival is on May 26 to 28.
PROMINENT Perth builder JP Collins built this Mt Lawley home for his family in 1957 – and a Collins has lived there ever since.
He had four kids and a wife, but that wasn’t a problem as there’s plenty of space in this six-bedroom abode.
Collins’ career took off in the 1930s when art deco was in vogue, and this Walcott Street home reflects elements of that style and the 1950s.
Leadlight doors and windows have a more sleek look, including the recently replaced curved glass in the front door, set behind an attractive wrought iron screen.
Virtually nothing has changed since this home was built 60 years ago, and the durability of the marmoleum — a plant-oil based product — is evident in the kitchen floor, where the colours remain vibrant and the floor unmarked.
This huge space still has its original Metters woodstove, sitting next to an electric one, and the cabinetry is pure period, with a bank of small pantry cupboards, and sliding glass doors that glide as freely as the day they were installed.
There’s even a small door to the outside, where bread and milk were once delivered. French doors, etched with images of horses and trees, lead into the spacious dining room, where a door gives access to the wide front verandah overlooking the street.
The adjacent lounge room is a vast space with a fireplace and original light fitting.
Carpet has been removed in the main bedroom to reveal pristine jarrah floors, which begs the questions: What lies beneath coverings in the rest of the home?
The octogenarian vendor has fond childhood memories of playing on the terrazzo floor in the bathroom, where a playful fish is a central motif.
Sitting on a 1013sqm lot, the garden is vast.
A large brick building on the western side is the laundry, where you’ll find the old copper, once used to boil clothes.
Nearby is an even larger six-car garage, with six separate double doors.
This unique property is in need of plenty of elbow grease and TLC, but the effort is well worth it.
by JENNY D’ANGER
26 Walcott Street, Mt Lawley Auction May 27, 12 noon Toby Baldwin 0418 914 926 Professionals Michael Johnson and Co
WA’S private schools have cautiously welcomed the Turnbull government’s Gonski 2.0 education funding model, with the sector’s peak organisation saying they won’t lose funding.
Scotch College headmaster Alec O’Connell says the latest version of Gonski is a “well-overdue attempt to eliminate the backroom systemic deals that have existed in past Commonwealth funding arrangements.”
U-turn
The Turnbull government did an educational u-turn last week and announced it was implementing David Gonski’s needs-based funding model — dubbed Gonski 2.0 — pouring an extra $1.7 billion into WA classrooms over the next decade.
Public schools will be big winners in the new model, while the Catholic education system is up in arms.
The WA Association of Independent Schools, says no WA independents will lose money, but some may have their rate of indexation reduced so that by 2027 they are at 80 per cent of the schooling resource standard.
“We simply want assurance that school funding is open and equitable for all sectors, government, catholic and independent,” says Dr O’Connell.
“We have no doubt that Scotch will face some decrease in funding in relative terms as the new regime is implemented.
“However, on balance, Scotch College welcomes the level of support it receives from both federal and state governments, and it is our job to work within the funding parameters, as long as we know that they are transparent and fair across all sectors.
“…The next Gonski review will hopefully deliver a strategic roadmap to ensure that any increase in funding for disadvantaged students, will in fact deliver real improvements for the children most in need; no matter which system or school they attend.”
Dr O’Connell’s calls for an equitable system were echoed by Methodist Ladies’ College principal Rebecca Cody.
“We welcome the implementation of a predictable, transparent and equitable long-term funding model for all schools so that educators can continue to plan strategically for improving learning outcomes and student welfare,” she says.
“At first glance Gonski 2.0 looks like it will ensure that all students, whether in the private or government sectors, will benefit from increased Commonwealth funding over the next decade.
“At the end of the day, what is important is ensuring that all students, where ever they are in Australia, have access to quality education.”
Under the new model, 24 of the country’s wealthiest schools would have less funding next year; none are in WA.
Over the next decade, non-government school funding in Australia will increase by 62 per cent, or $6.7b, under Gonski 2.0.
Perth Modern School declined to comment, but Sacred Heart College principal Peter Both says needs-based funding was vital if Australia wanted an equitable education system.
“Various governments come and go and funding levels change in line largely with political ideology,” he says.
“We have been anticipating a slightly reduced level of funding for a number of years and have contingencies in place so that we will be able to preserve our current configuration of services.”
Christ Church grammar school communications director Joanna Wheeler says, “we are waiting to see exactly what Gonski 2.0 delivers to the education sector of WA.”
• A pupil distracted by his mobile phone during class.
Clampdown on mobiles
LAST WEEK Scotch College banned pupils from using mobile phones during the school day, with headmaster Alec O’Connell complaining that too many senior boys spent lunchtimes sitting around staring at their devices.
In his email to parents, Dr O’Connell said school staff had been concerned about the increasing level of distraction, as well as a reduction in face-to-face interation.
Many schools have had mobile phone bans in place for years, but Scotch is one of a growing number of private colleges to outlaw mobiles completely during the day, after previously allowing pupils to use phones during recess.
Disturbed sleep
A 2015 Norwegian study found teenagers using computers and mobiles, especially in the evening, had disturbed sleep patterns.
Those having more than four hours of computer or mobile phone use a day were more likely to be sleep deprived.
Notre Dame professor Dawn Darlaston-Jones says society has been conditioned to see television and computers as recreational devices: “Telling people they don’t need to go outside of the home.”
“It shapes the way we engage with the outside community,” she says.
“People should be aware of screen time, it’s a problem for society as a whole.”
The Voice asked a few other private schools in Perth what their stance was on pupils using mobile phones during school time:
Christ Church Grammar School
“At Christ Church we have a clear rule to eliminate the distractions caused by mobile phones during the boys’ academic day — phones stay in their lockers,” says CCGS communication director Joanne Wheeler.
“This removes the dependency boys may have to continually check the phone and in doing so disrupt their learning.
“Parents are asked to call the school’s main reception if they need to urgently make contact with their sons.”
Sacred Heart College
“Mobile phones have been banned from student use during the day for the past eight years at Sacred Heart,” says principal Peter Bothe.
“Students are required to keep their phones locked in their lockers during the school day.
“This policy was developed as the internet capacity of phones became more accessible to all students.”
Methodist Ladies’ College
“MLC has a clear and explicit policy, and guidelines on the use of technology that impact all learners at MLC,” says their global strategy director, Ben Beaton.
“We mentor and model personal responsibility as we believe that students need to practice making informed choices in a safe environment.
“To ensure that students and their parents are fully aware of their responsibilities regarding the use of mobile phones and other personal devices, such as iPads and laptop computers, we ask them to sign our acceptable use of technology agreement each year and regularly present at student and parent forums on the obligation in the agreement.”
• Sir Walter James KC, first President of the Law Society, who served from 1927-1930.
ALL things legal will be celebrated at this year’s annual Law Week from May 15 – 19.
The Law Society of WA is hosting the shindig and has lined up a diverse range of events by law firms and community legal centres, including free legal advice.
“Law Week is a great opportunity for the community to learn about the law and their rights,” says society president Alain Musikanth.
“From a single ‘Law Day’ back in 1983, Law Week has expanded into an extensive programme of events and information sessions for the community and the legal profession.
“Free legal advice sessions for the public, offered by law firms and community legal centres, make up a significant portion of the Law Week programme.
Community events
“There are community events taking place throughout the week and across the state — including in Perth, Fremantle, Mandurah, Albany, Kalgoorlie and Geraldton.”
As part of the week’s events, The Law Week Breakfast on May 15 will include a keynote presentation by Katie Miller, 2015 president of the Law Institute of Victoria, on legal traditions in an age of disruption: how do lawyers decide what to keep and what to relinquish? The presentation will be chaired by renowned WA chief justice Wayne Martin. The Attorney General’s Community Service Law Awards will also be presented at the breakfast.
On May 17 the Law Society will host an information session for the community on enduring powers of attorney, with lawyers explaining this important area of the law and why it is crucial to appoint a capable and trustworthy attorney.
And on May 18, the Law Week Awards Night at Bankwest Place will recognise winners of the 2017 Lawyer of the Year Awards.
And lastly don’t forget that on May 16, National Pro Bono Day, lawyers will ‘Walk for Justice’ along the Perth foreshore to raise funds for Law Access Limited, an organisation dedicated to helping those in need of legal assistance on a pro bono basis.
The Law Society of WA is the peak professional association for lawyers in the state and celebrates it’s 90th anniversary this year.
The society is a not-for-profit association dedicated to the representation of its more than 3800 members.
It is a respected leader and contributor on law reform, access to justice and the rule of law.
The society is widely acknowledged by the legal profession, government and the community as the voice of the legal profession in WA.
Perth Voice Interactive 