ARTISTIC director at CircusWA hopes patrons of the upcoming B’Spoke performance see the show for what it really is.
Jo Smith wants the audience to think: “I just went to see an incredible show, I was entertained and I applauded at the end”.
The show celebrates the experiences of young people living with disability but Ms Smith says these young people are often misunderstood in society.
They are perceived with sympathy and as poor things with disabilities she says.
“But there is nothing poor, or sad, or unfortunate in any of this.
“They are these magnifice nt young people who are being supported on a stage to be seen and to entertain.”
• CircusWA’s B’Spoke performers going through their paces. Photo by Tashi Hall
Explore
Ms Smith says the five storytellers in the show will explore their relationship to life, their body and the idea of being strong.
Talking about her aspirations for the show, she said finding a space to perform had been a challenge.
“Finding a main stage that is affordable is incredibly hard for a youth company,” she says.
Ms Smith says booking a space for a couple of days of production would cost around $20,000.
But as a show involving young people with disabilities, she says the company requires more than just a couple days.
“We just need someone who has the knowledge and ability to be generous and that was Fiona Degrais at Bunbury [Regional Entertainment Centre],” Ms Smith says, thrilled that the executive director of the non-profit venue offered a heavy discount on CircusWA’s booking.
Although the performance isn’t showing in the metro area, Ms Smith is excited to take the team on a road trip down south.
She says the first and most important outcome is what emerges as an experience for the young people on stage.
“What they get out of it is learning a new language of engagement with a community of people they don’t normally engage with.”
B’Spoke BREC & CircusWA July 4 – 5 Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre
IT’S like puppy class on steroids; a dozen slightly obsessed dog owners gather in Munster to take their pets to a new level of obedience and protection.
They’re all part of former Australian army and air force dog handler Ben Geurts’ Kaizen K9 training, where he helps them focus the dogs’ energy through tasks such as tracking a scent, obeying intricate commands and learning how to grab an attacker effectively but without ripping their arm off.
A working dog sport, IGP was previously known as Schutzhund and developed in Germany as a way to harness the excessive energy of domesticated German shepherds.
“It’s like rugby for dogs and the ultimate genetic fulfilment for working dogs,” Mr Guerts said.
• Ben Guerts and Stan.
IGP has now developed into a competitive international sport mainly focused on working shepherds however breeds such as rottweilers, dobermans, Russian terriers, cattle dogs and labradors can also enjoy the fun.
In last week’s Working Dog Federation of Australia IGP national championships Mr Geurts and his Belgian malinois Stan claimed first prize.
A dog becomes titled after competing at a trial which involves a national judge and experienced helpers who have to complete a one-year apprenticeship with an exam before they can enter the arena.
IGP3 is the highest level a dog can reach in any of the three phases which is what Stan achieved to earn his title.
Control
“The dogs must have an insane level of obedience and impulse control to compete at this level and that only comes through dedicated training and effort from the handler,” Mr Guerts said.
Stan is a member of Ironside Dog Sports which is the only IGP club of its kind in WA and one of only eight clubs nationally.
Ironside Dog Sports president Mohan Murugiah became interested in the sport 10 years ago when he got his first working dog Trip the German shepherd and said he became addicted.
• Stan in action; the aim is not to rip the stranger’s arm off, but to hold them effectively.
“It’s the safest bite sport there is for working dogs,” Mr Murugiah said.
Ironside Dog Sport has 55 members and recently held the largest trial in Australia with 34 attendees.
Kaizen K9 holds classes three times a week with up to 15 participants in each class.
Training includes up to about 30 minutes of theory for the owners and individual training between dog and Mr Guerts.
Such intensive training comes at a price; just over $60 a session at Kaizen K9.
However that’s not all, training must continue at home with owners playing and working with their dogs anywhere from a few minutes to hours a day.
“It’s a great way for dog owners to build a bond with their dog and reliable obedience,” Mr Guerts said.
THE survival stories of seven koalas will be shown to West Aussie audiences in an upcoming documentary co-directed and produced by Gregory Miller and Georgia Wallace-Crabbe.
The cuddly diplomats of Australian wildlife are facing extinction on the east coast due to urban expansion and warmer temperatures pushing them out of their habitat and into urban areas where they face being attacked by dogs or killed by cars.
Mr Miller said they wanted to discover why an affluent country was neglecting its most iconic resident, so they followed koalas for three years while hunting down what research they could find.
• Nowhere to go: A mother koala and her joey end up at a wildlife rescue shelter after their home was cleared.
Koalas in each of the locations they visited faced a range of challenges, which Mr Miller says “tells a number of stories that illustrates what’s wrong”.
He says current laws are too weak or ineffective to protect koalas from annihilation.
Although the documentary presents a dire situation, Mr Miller believes it’s not completely hopeless yet.
”It can be turned around,” he says optimistically.
• Climate change resulting in more bushfires is yet another challenge facing koalas.
The duo believe the documentary will highlight an important “Australian issue” and hope it will encourage audiences to take action and put pressure on regulatory authorities to put more effort into saving the marsupials.
“Industrial work needs to take into consideration how their work will affect the environment they are working on”, Mr Miller told the Voice.
The pair said they showed the documentary to West Australian author and environmental activist Tim Winton who was moved by the koalas’ plight.
“You’ll be charmed. You’ll be dismayed. And then I bet you’ll be as angry as hell at what’s being done to koalas in your name and in your own lifetime,” Winton wrote about the documentary.
The Koalas will be screening at LunaSX Fremantle on June 30
AT times it’s been called the ugly little sister of Beaufort Street with no Art Deco panache or culinary glamour.
Fitzgerald Street has copped a bit of criticism over the years, but recently it’s upped its game with a number of good restaurants including Acqua E Sale, La Mortazza and KCH.
Okay, the parking and driving is still tight and it’s not as pretty as Beaufort, but don’t overlook North Perth next time you’re out for a meal.
I’d heard good things about Picobello Patisserie, so I fired up the Voice jalopy and headed to the Fitzgerald St bakery/cafe to see what they had to offer.
Originally from Scotland, I was on a downer after my national soccer team got humbled 5-1 by Germany in the opening match of the 2024 European Championships, so I needed something sweet to cheer me up.
To add to the gloom, the heavens opened on the drive to Perth.
Thankfully, Picobello Patisserie is part of a group of shops with dedicated parking and I managed to nab a space directly outside.
The interior of the cafe had some nice chandeliers, feature wallpaper, an antique mirror with ornate frame, and wooden tables and chairs. It was a classy vibe, without being pretentious, and the huge bay windows maximised the natural light during winter.
There was also some comfy couches and it felt homely and welcoming.
On entering you are confronted by a diabetic’s nightmare – a cabinet bursting at the seams with colourful cakes, tortes, gateaux, light pastries and gourmet biscuits.
It was a mouth-watering range of sweet delights including Portuguese tarts, ricotta cheese cake, cannolis and everything in-between.
I was a bit out of my comfort zone, as I normally don’t have a sweet tooth, but the smiley girl behind the till was very accomodating and gave me plenty of time to choose a selection of goodies to take home for the family.
More importantly she placed them nicely in a robust cardboard box and all five cakes were still intact when I got home (We’ve all opened a cake box to be confronted with a gooey ground zero).
The cakes were like mini artworks when placed side-by-side and I marvelled at the craftsmanship that had gone into making these sweet treats.
My favourite was the Apple Crumble ($7).
It was a perfect miniature of an apple crumble pie and like something out of the movie Downsizing.
The flavours were there too with nice chunks of fresh apple, delightful pastry and a tasty filling that wasn’t too sweet nor tart, walking the flavour tightrope.
My wife “Special K” is a chocolate junkie, so she enjoyed the decadent chocolate pudding ($7).
It certainly looked the part – thick impasto swipes of dark chocolate with a strawberry and white chocolate wafter perched on top.
“It looks dense, but is actually incredibly light inside and the chocolate isn’t too rich, so you can work your way through it,” she said. “It would go perfectly with a nice blob of good-quality vanilla ice cream.”
Taking of vanilla, my young kids Bamm-Bamm and Pebbles were busy wolfing down a giant vanilla slice ($7).
Again, beautifully presented with that trademark icing swirl on top, it was light and creamy, and the perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea.
Fearing our blood sugar levels might reach Chris Farley’s in the 1980s, we reconvened the following night to tackle the large lemon tart ($7) and custard puff ($6.75).
The tart had a pleasing citrus tang, which was offset by the buttery pastry. Very enjoyable.
The custard puff had some nice chocolate swirls on top and was dusted with confectioner’s sugar.
Light, airy and rich, it was a sticky, tactile joy.
The individual cakes are big and one is large enough for two adults to share, so it’s great value when you breakdown the cost.
They also do made-to-order cakes for special occasions including birthdays and religious celebrations.
The quality of baking at Picobello Patisserie was great and it nearly managed to lift my spirits after a chastening soccer defeat.
Dolcetto Patisserie and Cafe 3-4/400 Fitzgerald Street, North Perth dolcetto.com.au
SHE’S loaned her harp to Björk, studied at the famous Berklee College of Music, and formed a unique trio that are about to release their debut album Bliss.
I’m talking about Perth’s Michelle Smith – a talented harpist who fronts what might be Australia’s only jazz harp trio, Turiya.
Their debut album shattered the myth of the harp being limited and only suited to ethereal passages in classical music or for dream sequences in cheesy movies (cue the whole tone scale played up and down).
The versatility of the harp is evident in Bliss’s lead track Serendipity – minimalist with hip-hop drumming, it could almost be late-period Radiohead or a fusion number by Herbie Hancock.
• Jazz harp trio Turiya are releasing their debut album Bliss. Photo by Tashi Hall
The harp gently floats over the top of the double bass and sounds like a post-modern harpsichord, weaving in and out of the beat.
Despite sounding beautiful, it’s certainly not twee or sentimental and has a dark, staccato edge in places.
So why hasn’t the harp been used more often in jazz?
Smith says the instrument has seven tricky pedals used to change between the equivalent of white and black notes on the piano.
“Jazz becomes very difficult on the harp as you have to change harmony and improvise with your feet, therefore it is much more practical in classical music,” she says.
“But the lush deep sounds of 47 strings gives its rich timbre to jazz that no other instrument can give.
“One of the bass strings can sustain itself for 40 seconds alone.”
Touching on jazz, R&B, pop and classical, Bliss is an eclectic and ambitious album, but there is always a hook in each song, be it rhythmic, melodic or harmonic, to keep the listener grounded.
It’s an accessible listen with a modern urban sound, but the harp never feels out of place and is cleverly integrated into tunes.
There’s even a hip-hop track Solace, featuring lyrics and vocals by POW! Negro.
Turiya is packed with top-notch talent, especially drummer Talya Valenti, whose tasteful and inventive grooves propel the music forward and provide lots of dynamics.
She’s in demand and has played on loads of albums and sessions with musos like Methyl Ethel, Stella Donnelly and on the Songs for Freedom project.
On double bass is Kate Pass, who is doing a scholarship at The New School in New York and leads the Kohesia Ensemble, which fuses Persian music with jazz. After playing and studying together for years and becoming friends, Smith, Valenti and Pass decided to form Turiya in 2020.
“In Hindu philosophy, Turiya represents the true self,” says Smith.
“Our main inspiration, Alice Coltrane, adopted the name Turiya, embodying both a Hindu spiritual leader and an extraordinary jazz harpist.”
One of the few harpists in the history of jazz, Coltrane was an American jazz musician, composer, bandleader and Hindu spiritual leader who was known for her unique brand of spiritual jazz in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
She was married to saxophone legend John Coltrane, and they performed together in the mid-1960s.
“Alice Coltrane as a musician was certainly boundary pushing and I love that she incorporated harp into that,” Smith says.
“She almost made jazz spiritual. But if you really want to hear the queen of jazz harp then Dorothy Ashby is the woman for that.
“Her album In a Minor Groove was something that no other harpist had ever done before and that was in the 50’s.
“It didn’t hurt her case either that she used to be a sax player. So her melodic vocabulary was magic on those strings.”
Smith has played solo harp shows across the globe and has collaborated with the likes of ARIA award-winners Karnivool and hip-hop artist Mathas.
But even she admits the gigantic instrument can be a labour of love at times, and it takes her about 15 minutes just to tune-up.
“You cannot fly in the plane with a harp. This is when it becomes a logistical challenge,” Smith says.
“When I have played interstate I have needed to hire a harp form fellow harpists. Even Björk hired my harp for her shows here for the week.
“But a good harp trolley, a large car and some muscles will do the rest when it comes to playing in your own home town. It takes time to set up and pack down for sure. But when you get to sit behind that thing and play, it makes it all worthwhile.”
Turiya’s debut album Bliss will be released digitally on June 28 with vinyl available to pre-order. See turiya3.bandcamp.com/album/bliss-2 for details. They are also doing an album launch gig at The Rechabite in Northbridge on July 4. Tix at therechabite.com.au.
I REMEMBER going to meet the priest in his rectory at St Columba’s Church in South Perth, and thinking he had the best view in the suburb.
Perched on top of Forrest Street, his humble abode had uninterrupted views of the city skyline, which at night became a glorious kaliedescope as the light reflected off the glassy Swan River.
‘Powerball Mansion’ (that’s what the Voice is dubbing this four bedroom three bathroom home) is just down the hill and has the same uninterrupted views across Sir James Mitchell Park.
Split over three levels with huge balconies, a giant pool and everything else you can think of, it really is the Lotto dream,
And come Australia Day, friends and family will be queuing up to watch the Skyworks display from one of your many balconies.
A grand home like this deserves a grand entrance and it’s got one – a sweeping staircase with ornate balustrade and a chandelier dangling from the cathedral-like ceiling.
It really is like something out of Gone with the Wind, and will wow visitors on arrival.
The house has been expertly designed to maximise those killer views with floor-to-ceiling windows at every turn, transforming the Swan River into a work of art and flooding the house with natural light.
There’s a super indoor-outdoor flow with balconies on every level.
The Chook’s favourite is probably the rooftop terrace which has an undercover area with toilet/powder room and built-in BBQ kitchen.
It’s a glorious spot to take in those views and entertain with a barbie under the stars.
There’s multiple living areas with a huge living/dining area on the first floor and two family rooms and a kitchen on the ground.
The home has been completely refurbished with a new kitchen, bathrooms, flooring, external stone cladding and a recent paint job.
It includes a lift servicing all floors, ducted AC, grand foyer, formal dining room, and a gourmet kitchen with stone benchtops, butler’s sink, bench seating and an llve five-burner cooker.
As you would expect the home is fitted out to the highest standard and everything has been done with taste and restraint.
Situated on a 670sqm block on Mill Point Road, it’s a short walk to St Columba’s Catholic Primary School, Wesley College and South Perth Primary School.
There’s plenty of entertainment venues nearby including all the small bars and cafes on Angelo Street, and Mends St is not that much further, or take the five-minute ferry ride to Elizabeth Quay.
This is a sensational home with magnificent views and is directly opposite Sir James Mitchell Park, so nobody can build in front of you.
Home open today (SaturdayJune 22)
12:15pm-1pm EOI welcome 207 Mill Point Road, South Perth Hartanto Properties 9364 2788 Agent Eric Hartanto 0421 272 152
The number of 18-to-24-year-olds who vape daily has skyrocketed from 5 per cent in 2019 to 21 per cent in 2024, while 7 per cent of adults vape daily, a nearly three-fold increase since 2019.
Vaping products can contain over 200 chemicals, including cancer-causing carcinogens.
Additionally, vapes with nicotine, especially in high doses, are detrimental to brain development. A single vape can have as much nicotine as 10 packets of cigarettes.
Action
Previous tobacco research has shown that the proximity of tobacco retailers to schools or homes can influence smoking behaviours, and similar relationships have been reported for e-cigarettes.
University of Notre Dame applied statistician Matthew Tuson was lead author of a recent study into vaping in Western Australia.
Epidemic
“We decided to undertake research to contribute to the movement counteracting the vaping epidemic in Australia, which is a big problem facing students, parents, teachers, and communities,” Dr Tuson said.
“We are all members of these communities, and some of us are parents.”
The study reveals that nine in ten vape shops were less than one kilometre from schools. For example, St Patrick’s Primary School in Fremantle had two vape stores within 200 metres.
The study identified that there is no public registry of vape stores in WA, unlike tobacco retailers, who have to be licensed.
The identification of 159 vape stores in Perth represents an increase of over 120 per cent in just under 3.5 years.
This is despite it currently being illegal in WA under the Tobacco Products Control Act 2006 (WA) to sell any food, toy, or other product that is not a tobacco product but is designed to resemble a tobacco product or package.
• This smoke shop was one of two within 200 metres of a primary school in Fremantle. Photo by Jens Kirsch
In May 2022, the WA Department of Health publicly stated it had “put 3,000 retailers on notice reminding them of the ongoing restrictions regarding the sale of e-cigarette devices and vaporiser nicotine products under WA’s Tobacco Products Control Act 2006 and Medicines and Poisons Act 2014.”
In June 2023, in response to a question on notice, WA Minister for Police Paul Papalia confirmed that, between 2019 and May 17, 2023, only 12 individuals and/or entities were successfully prosecuted for “offences relating to the sale, supply or possession of e-cigarette devices and/or their components or vaping products containing nicotine”.
The findings also indicate that the overall availability of e-cigarette products and the rise in vaping prevalence in WA and Australia more broadly is underestimated, partly driven by the online market and sales facilitated by social media.
To curb access to non-prescription vaping products, proposed legislative reforms in Australia must prioritise visible enforcement to deter retailers and suppliers outside the pharmacy sector.
Keep Smoking History
Cancer Council WA Make Smoking History manager Libby Jardine says there have been positive steps towards preventing children from living in close proximity to vaping shops.
“The good news is that this year the Federal government has commenced a suite of reforms to reduce children and young people’s access to e-cigarettes (vapes). A national approach will ensure consistency in compliance and enforcement,” Ms Jardine said.
“The Vaping Reforms Bill 2024 is currently before the Australian Senate and will be voted on this month. The Bill aims to address the growing risk posed by vaping, particularly to children and young people.”
The aim is to end the supply of vapes entering the market.
“If passed, the Bill will put an end date on the import, manufacture, supply, and commercial possession of non-therapeutic disposable vapes in Australia (regardless of nicotine content). This means vape stores are on notice – they will likely have to close or change their business model entirely.
“It is important to note that many businesses have been operating illegally as it has never been legal in Australia to sell nicotine vaping products in the general retail market.”
Smokers relying on vapes medically will still have access to clinically appropriate vapes, Ms Jardine said.
“The Bill will preserve legitimate access to therapeutic vapes where clinically appropriate, and pharmacists and medical/nurse practitioners will be able to supply therapeutic vapes for smoking cessation or to manage nicotine dependence.
“The WA Government has a critical role to play in this regard. If passed, the Bill enhances the compliance and enforcement powers of state officers and facilitates information sharing with the states.”
STIRLING council is the latest to flag a ban on vaping shops, but will hold off to see if federal legislation is strong enough to make an impact.
At Tuesday’s council meeting, mayor Mark Irwin proposed an investigation into whether the city’s planning laws could be amended to crack down on the sale and supply of illegal vapes and smoking-related implements.
“There is a growing concern with vape/smoking implement shops and related activity in local shopping centre by the community,” Mr Irwin said.
“Many of these are set up within close proximity to schools.”
But a staff report noted that while the City had limited powers to prevent vape shops setting up under the current rules, a new planning scheme due to come in next year might have more teeth as there were restrictions on smoking-related implements.
The report said the council could draft a local planning policy to restrict vape shops to certain areas, but it urges the council to give the Albanese government’s proposed crackdown a year to see if it would be effective.
Mr Irwin had also proposed writing to premier Roger Cook and health minister Amber-Jade Sanderson urging them to introduce stronger legislation to restrict vaping shops, but staff again gave that a little sideways push.
Instead the council voted to write to federal health and aged care Mark Butler supporting Labor’s proposed vaping reforms.
In January this year a ban was put on the importation of disposable vapes, though shops were given a grace period to sell existing stock, while non-therapeutic vapes were banned from March.
The next tranche of legislation, which has to make it through the Senate, will see the domestic manufacture, advertising, supply and commercial possession on non-therapeutic and disposable vapes outlawed.
HOUSING minister John Carey has accused Perth lord mayor Basil Zempilas of “rewriting history” over the closure of a Safe Night Space for women.
At the last council meeting, Mr Zempilas blamed the WA government for the long delay in re-opening a space for homeless and vulnerable women, saying it had been sitting on an appeal from Ruah to start operating from James Street after the organisation appealed council-imposed conditions (“Lord mayor: Safe space on ice,” Voice, June 8, 2024.
But Mr Carey said Mr Zempilas was glossing over the fact his council shut the original service down and “forced Ruah to go through an entirely unnecessary process” which had stopped the SNS opening within days of the application.
• Housing minister John Carey.
Refused
“In fact, the lord mayor himself confirmed an expedited pathway was available, but he refused to implement it for the Ruah centre,” Mr Carey said.
“As a preferred use, public advertising nor full council determination was not required; the lord mayor himself forced this application down a longer pathway.”
Mr Carey said Ruah wasn’t consulted before the council imposed onerous conditions.
“Ruah have clearly stated they were so concerned about the continued operation of the centre under the City’s condition, they had no choice but to seek an appeal through the State Administrative Tribunal,” Mr Carey said.
“When it became apparent that the City of Perth was going to cease their funding for the Safe Night Space, the state government offered $3.1 million to continue the service at the Rod Evans Centre without disruption.
“The City of Perth rejected this assistance and closed the service.”
Mr Carey said the government then provided $210,000 interim funding to ensure Ruah could continue to offer the women accommodation and other necessities.
Claiming the mayor and council were running a campaign against the Safe Night Space, Mr Carey said the SAT appeal had been called in for a determination by state government.
“As per the formal process, parties have been given the opportunity to present submissions to be taken into account in decision-making, and this takes time,” Mr Carey said.
“As the appointed objective decision-maker, minister Sanderson is now awaiting key advice from the Department of Planning Lands and Heritage that will assist in making an informed decision.
“The final ministerial decision, and all submissions received, will be published and laid before Parliament as soon as possible,” Mr Carey said.
WITH its centenary just over the horizon, the Alexander the Great Club in Inglewood was looking a little snappier this week after a $420,000 overhaul was officially launched.
The club was founded in 1930, and according to long-term president Tom Topalis was a joint effort between four Northern Greek associations at a time when Australia was becoming a popular destination.
“They bought a premises in James Street and operated out of there for a few years but then when it got too small they bought a house in Inglewood where they would gather; the Macedonians love their cards and backgammon,” Mr Topalis said.
In 1987 they moved into their current Alexander Drive home and these days only the Greek Macedonian Association and the Florina Association of WA call the club home.
• Cards, backgammon and just getting together for a meal have been a way of life for Perth’s Greek Macedonian community for nearly 100 years. Photos courtesy WA Greek Macedonian Association
Mr Topalis says like many ethnic organisations they have an ageing membership, though during his 14 years as president has introduced soccer tournaments, exercise classes and dancing to appeal to a younger demographic.
He arrived during the great post-war migration in 1949, but his grandfather had already been living in Western Australia since 1926, a time when many were employed in the timber industry where the dangers were compensated for by the chance to make quick money – often used to establish themselves as shopkeepers.
Mr Topalis says the club’s upgrades have been particularly useful for the older members, as one of the biggest improvements has been installing universal toilets.
• Mayor Mark Irwin and MP Patrick Gorman helped launch the upgrades this week.
Financial
But equally importantly, he says it will help them stay financially stable because it makes it easier to hire out their large function room, already popular with many groups including the Vietnamese community who pack it out for karaoke nights.
The works were part-funded by the Albanese government and the City of Stirling and included an upgrade to the car-park to fit in some Acrod bays and some safer paving.
Federal regional development minister Kristy McBain said it was just one project being undertaken with Stirling.
“This project is a great example of the Australian government working in partnership to deliver the community infrastructure Western Australians deserve, supporting inclusive participation in local support,” Ms McBain said.
• Mr Irwin with former club president Harry Zisopoulos
Stirling mayor Mark Irwin said the club was a focal point for the community to gather for cards, coffee or a meal.
“These upgrades provide a place for members to stay socially connected with one another, with the facility also used by other multicultural groups to host significant events and cultural ceremonies,” Mr Irwin said.
Federal Perth MP Patrick Gorman said the spruced-up facilities were a winner for the Greek Macedonian community.
“Supporting local jobs and ensuring this clubroom in Inglewood can cater for community sporting events for years to come,” Mr Gorman said.
“This project supports residents while helping give local sporting participants the best possible opportunities, thanks to high-quality community infrastructure.”
Perth Voice Interactive 