State election March 2017: With the state election just over the horizon, the Perth Voice takes a look at some of the policy announcements affecting seniors.
SENIORS and volunteering minister Paul Miles has handed over almost $900,000 in a Lotterywest grant to an organisation that will co-ordinate research into grandcarers.
Mr Miles said Wanslea Family Services will study the experiences of grandparents and the grandchildren that are in their care.
“The Liberal National government recognises the important role that grandcarers play in providing guidance, compassion and protection to children,” Mr Miles said.
Inform
“The findings from the research project will inform the next steps and provide recommendations on how we can improve our service delivery and policy frameworks.”
In 2013, the Barnett government introduced WA’s first grandcarers support scheme which has provided more than $1.7 million in support payments to eligible grandcarers, in acknowledgement of the additional demands and financial pressures they experience.
Mr Miles also announced the launch of a new online legal resource – Grandfamilies: Legal Matters and Resources.
WHEN it comes to food in Perth, there is nothing more on-trend right now than Instagram-ready meals.
Case in point being Mack Daddy’s New York Slice, offering massive NYC-style pies that are no doubt the type of food social media paparazzo dreams are made of.
Thankfully, visiting the Beaufort Street pizza parlour is a positive example of substance over style.
Shake the ShROOM
Our party shared four toppings spread across two 16-inch pizzas; Big Tony’s Pepperoni, The Baller, Swine and Pine, and Boom, Shake, Shake, Shake the ShROOM, along with a substantial side of buffalo wings and BYO refreshments.
This meant our $20-a-head visit resulted in five full bellies, without hitting the hip pocket too terribly.
As can be expected with a true Yankee pizza, cheese was not lacking.
In fact, the only thing about the meal that wasn’t cheesy was the attentive service, which was a pleasant surprise considering the general hustle and bustle of the dine-in-cum-take-away nature of the joint.
Be prepared though, Mack Daddy’s is not a place for swinging the elbows about, as the restaurateurs make the most of a modest space.
This is part of the charm however; you’re not going to get the joy of an authentic Lower East Side experience in a cavernous space, and it does no harm to the impression of these being some serious pizzas.
A selection of hot sauces abound for those who partake, while the westerly view of the sunset over the opposing storefronts from our window position ensured this was not about pizza in a box.
If beers and carbs are your thing, then Mack Daddy’s New York Slice will be your thing.
Best food destination
If you told this writer a decade ago that Mount Lawley would, in 2017, become one of Perth’s best food and beverage destinations, he would have guffawed.
Perhaps it was the negative connotations of an unsuccessful IT degree, married with the city’s then-antiquated public transport system as he made a daily (okay, weekly – at a push) commute to his university campus, but back then Beaufort Street didn’t seem too interesting a place.
Jump forward 10 years and the humble pizza pie is yet another great addition to the area, as old classics become new again.
As difficult as it may be though, consider limiting visits to special occasion only – for your waistline’s sake.
by JACK HICKEN
Mack Daddy’s New York Slice 568 Beaufort St, Mt Lawley 9227 7290 Thurs – Sun, 11am till late Tues – Wed, 5 – 10pm
IT’S west of the moon in an icy kingdom, where a polar bear king waits for his champion and a woodcutter’s daughter holds the key to a warrior’s destiny.
West of the Moon is based on a Scandinavian version of Beauty and the Beast; it’s a traditional tale made modern with a mix of shadow puppetry, live actors and a sizzling electronic musical score.
“It’s true to the folk tale East of the Sun and West of Moon, woven with other fairy tales,” playwright and actor/director Clare Testoni says..
The hero is a young girl called Boots, who receives a gift of destiny from an eccentric wizard before hooking up with the polar bear king on a journey to his kingdom.
It’s a land of sword fights, trolls and curses, and Boots has to complete a number of trials and battle the evil Troll Queen in order to save the kingdom and rescue her true love.
“Narrated by a mother to her daughter, this is a coming of age tale,” Testoni says.
“I’ve always loved the world of fairy tales. I love adventure and romance, magic and sword fights. But underneath all of that there are very human stories that I think connect with people of all ages and transcend borders and time.”
Testoni’s real life mirrors part of the play, the Sydneysider journeying across the country in pursuit of love: “And to be involved with puppetry more. Spare Parts [in Fremantle] is the only one in Australia that offers training.”
Like most of the play’s characters, the bear king is a shadow puppet, but when he changes into a young man at night a real actor steps out from behind the screen.
Full of colour, music and movement West of the Moon is a show for all ages from eight or 80, Testoni says.
“And I’m comfortable saying its going to be very pretty.”
It’s on at the Blue Room Theatre, James Street, Northbridge as part of Fringe World, Tuesday January 31 to Saturday February 4. Tix at fringeworld.com.au
ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20) It’s a new Moon – and Mars enters Aries this week. These are sure signs that you are at the beginning of something new. Expect your energy levels to ramp up significantly. The mysterious bout of floundering that you have been going through, is now well and truly in the rear-view mirror.
TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 20) The new Moon has a quiet footprint. Stillness and silence are on the agenda. Venus remains in Pisces, offering access to life’s deeper currents. If you are comfortable with feelings, you will be overjoyed at being given access to deep relaxation. If you aren’t, work at finding harmony.
GEMINI (May 21 – June 21) The new Moon in Aquarius heralds a homecoming. Either you will make it back to your family of origin, or you will become progressively more at home in your own skin, no matter where you are. The more you are able to relax, the more life will present you with insight and answers.
CANCER (June 22 – July 22) The Sun and Moon are both in Aquarius. The sky is seemingly swarming with ideas and idealism. This is normally enough to throw you off your game. Your natural habitat involves a pool of feelings. The presence of a mass of planets in Pisces, keeps you confident, cool and clear.
LEO (July 23 – Aug 22) The new Moon in Aquarius literally opposes you. The Sun and the Moon are standing in the red corner, while you are in the blue. Aquarius is a land of other-focussed ideas and ideals. You are self-focussed and driven by fire and passion. Put aside your agenda. Seek understanding.
VIRGO (Aug 23 – Sept 22 You know where you want and need to go, but you aren’t at all sure how to get there. The new Moon in Aquarius offers you a lifeline. Orthodoxy needs the occasional unorthodox insight to be able to climb out of ruts. Insight is a powerful thing. We can’t un-glimpse. Change direction.
LIBRA (Sept 23 – Oct 23) Focus on your feelings. Listen to the messages that come to you in silence; the ones that seem to rise up from your heart or belly. That’s where wisdom lies. If you lock horns with anyone that is determined to remain rigid no matter what, you will come off second best. Listen within.
SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 21) The fresh breezes blowing around by courtesy of the Aquarian Sun and Moon, are an invitation to consider new options. Scorpions can fixate. Watch out for the habit of clinging to old ways of seeing and being, for the sake of it. Trust the greater flow of life. Loosen up and let go.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 – Dec 21) Anything that promotes a genuine sense of harmony is good. Conflict per se is not good. Sometimes a little conflict can lead to deeper realisations. Probably not now. If you are going to pick a fight, it will more than likely be with forces that are presently bigger than you. Retreat and wait.
CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 19) You aren’t swayed by ideals or easy answers. You will respond with all the goat-power at your command, the moment you can see the possibility of pragmatic solutions. The idea of rushing things doesn’t excite you. Neither does the idea of sitting on the fence forever. Bide your time.
AQUARIUS (Jan 20 – Feb 18) The Sun and Moon are together in Aquarius at the beginning of the week. It is a new Moon. This is a special time. It’s a time for resetting your compass, for identifying your chosen trajectory for the next twelve months. Light a little candle in your heart. Ask it to guide you on your way.
PISCES (Feb 19 – Mar 20) Mars is about to leave you. He has been leaning on you to seek adventure. If you find that you have been creative about what kind of adventure you would like to be on, he will have served you well. As he departs, your seas become quiet. Beauty is a healing force. Seek it with awareness.
BUILT in 1952 this three-bedroom apartment on York Street, North Perth offers a glimpse of a genteel time between the two great wars, and before Perth’s suburbs were transformed with a modernist post-war building boom.
Set on the complex’s second level, a stained-glass door opens onto a loungeroom steeped in art deco trimmings including a raw brick fireplace, jarrah plate rails and rich, chocolatey jarrah floors.
The fireplace has been converted to gas, while white plantation shutters are a modern touch that maintain the dignified ambience of this cosy space.
With climate control throughout, you’ll be snug as a bug whether it’s a thong-melter in February or a howler in July.
The main bedroom is off the lounge and has a cute semi-ensuite, where white walls and floor are off-set by a federation-style red and white check tiled floor.
Long, lean galley
Making the most of space, the kitchen is a long, lean galley style, with a sweep of golden pine tops, crisp white cupboards and drawers, a pantry under the stairs, and toffee-coloured cork-tile flooring.
Almost floor-to-ceiling stacker doors off the dining area lead out to a timber deck, which is just the shot for a bit of alfresco dining or relaxing.
It’s screened from the neighbours and has stairs down to the parking area.
The vendors tucked a couple of bedrooms under the eaves a few years ago in a very clever adaptation, including one with a long, window seat to spread out on for a spot of reading.
This is great inner-city living for a young couple, or retirees looking for a lock and leave – with room for the grandkids to visit.
York Street is in a golden triangle of cafe society with Fitzgerald and Walcott Streets in walking distance and a heap more shops and cafes a short drive away.
And of course the Perth CBD is a mere nine minute away by car – 15 if you want to jump on your bike.
by JENNY D’ANGER
5/34 York Street, North Perth $599,000 to $650,000 Steven Voros 0419 915 125 Abel McGrath 9208 1999
Travel and make new friends Do you love to travel? Want to meet new people? Then Elite Tours might be just the thing for you. Elite offers a great range of day trips and extended tours throughout WA.
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Fresh Retirement Solutions Platinum Community represents an entirely fresh way of looking at lifestyle options for those who are considering or have recently retired. These beautifully designed and solidly built homes offer the chance to live in complete comfort and style, set within a small, friendly and socially interactive village of like-minded neighbours.
Situated just 10 kms from the CBD, and with hospitals, major specialist medical centres, transport, services and shops nearby, this is an outstanding opportunity for the astute buyer. For all enquiries please contact Sigrid 0408 610 602 at Village Solutions.
IT couldn’t get much more senior than it did down at Rainbow in Maylands on Wednesday afternoon.
The multicultural aged care program, which specialises in supporting people from Eastern European backgrounds, celebrated the birthdays of four clients whose combined ages were a whopping 346 years.
Rainbow manager Danuta Palysz said the youngest of the quartet was a minor 67 years old, while the grandaddy of them all was Jan Chalubinski, who notched up his 100th year.
Ms Palysz says Mr Chalubinski, who doesn’t speak a word of English received his telegram from Queen Elizabeth, as well as messages from the governor general and Australian prime minister.
• Jan (100) and Leokadia Chalubinski, Rainbow carer Urszula Minta and manager Danuta Palysz at the birthday celebration.
The Polish consul attended the celebrations, bringing a message from the ambassador, while priests from two Polish orders, the Salvatorian Fathers of Greenmount and the Franciscan Fathers of Maylands also joined in.
What made the celebration all the more remarkable was that after a few rounds of Happy Birthday in English, Polish and Belarusian, all four kicked up their heels and had a dance around the Polish Centre’s hall, Mr Chalubinski in the arms of his adoring wife.
Ms Palysz says Rainbow has been providing care for 24 years, the last 20 including home visits.
It has its roots in the Polish Association in Western Australia, which was formed in March 1950 to help many of the refugees who’d found themselves in migrant camps across WA.
Its aims was to maintain Polish culture and traditions, and to maintain close links with local and federal authorities in both Australia and Poland – particularly after the latter gained its independence.
After a great deal of fundraising, the organisation purchased a property in Brisbane Street, but by 1980 they’d outgrown it and bought their current home on Eighth Avenue.
Big changes are again afoot, with the federal government changing the way it allocates funds to aged care providers.
From next month, Rainbow will have to accept any person who qualifies for a funding package from the government. Ms Palysz says it’s quite a change, particularly given the current staff are carefully selected and are all bilingual.
But she assures people from Eastern European backgrounds that they won’t miss out, as the funding will simply mean an expansion of their existing services and a few more staff.
Ms Palysz says they’ve currently got 47 carers and a half-dozen or so admin staff looking after 107 clients.
She says the service is so popular there’s a waiting list – and not just for clients, but for staff also.
PRESSURE is mounting on the WA Planning Commission to rethink widening Guildford Road between East Parade and Tonkin Highway.
The plan aims to “encourage a shift away from use of private vehicles” by adding bus lanes, cycle lanes, and wider footpaths, but many Maylands home and small-business owners are uniting behind a campaign to scrap the plan, claiming it’ll “destroy the fabric of the community.”
• With The Chop Shop itself facing the axe, barber shop owners Andy and Marianne Bondarenko (with attack dog Boris) say they’ll not stand idly by. Photos by Trilokesh Chanmugam
The face of lobby group Guildford Road to Ruin is resident Graeme Reany, who says local businesses including a bike shop, buddhist temple, vet clinic and cafe, are all opposed to the plan.
GRR has organised a petition, and is collecting residents’ stories on a Facebook page. Mr Reany says the signatures a pouring in.
• Leo Flavel (with Graeme Reany) stands to lose 6.3 metres from the front of Studio281 art gallery.
“What’s the logic of destroying a bike shop to put in a bike lane?” he ponders.
Mr Reany says 59 businesses and more than 300 properties are facing the chop, and while they’ve been guaranteed compensation for lost land, he says there’s a lot of doubt whether it’ll be fair.
Uncertainty
Leo Flavel from Studio281 art gallery says uncertainty about when the plan will go ahead is also creating stress.
“I’m not going to spend thousands of dollars maintaining the verge if it’s just going to be demolished. Do I repaint the floorboards, do I get the white ants out … it means property owners will let them fall into disrepair,” Mr Flavel says.
Mr Flavel stands to lose 6.3 metres plus a truncation from the front of his property, but reckons even a few metres will force him to demolish the whole building.
• Graeme Reany squats next to a line of bricks which show his new fence-line if the proposed widening of Guildford Road goes ahead.
“This partial demolition statement is totally unrealistic. It’s like if I said I’m going to take a quarter of your car. With no engine there’s no car, the building’s going to be rendered completely useless,” Mr Flavel said.
“With uncertainty it’s very difficult to operate our business. Even if they don’t set a date, we’re booking exhibitions with international artists from 2018…I need to know whether this is happening or not.”
Next door, Marianne and Andy Bondarenko of The Chop Shop barbers are already looking at moving.
“They told us we stand to lose ‘just 4.5 metres’ of our shop, basically taking so much that it will have to be bulldozed,” Ms Bondarenko said.
Veterinarian Steve Baker says relocating his clinic is harder than most because of the special requirements needed for animals, but with 12 metres of his block to go he may have no alternative.
• Steve Baker, Sue Golden, Frankie, and Maggot (their pooches) would be forced into relocating their vet clinic if the proposed 12m is lopped from the property.
“Nobody wants to buy a business that isn’t really here … it creates uncertainty and that’s extremely disheartening as a business owner,” Mr Baker said.
Labor has committed to abandoning the widening if elected in March, with Maylands MLA Lisa Baker saying they’d stop at simple upgrades.
Planning minister Donne Faragher says that’s a knee-jerk commitment to a project that’s only in consultation phase, but Mt Lawley Liberal MP Michael Sutherland says the upgrade could be more sensible.
“I think everyone realises Guildford road needs to be upgraded because it’s in very poor shape…but I don’t think this plan is necessary, the scale and disruption it’ll cause, so I’m suggesting everyone puts a submission in,” Mr Sutherland said.
CROSSWALKS could reunite Vincent residents who for a decade have been separated by busy roads almost as impermeable as the Berlin Wall, says mayoral candidate Emma Cole.
Ms Cole says a pedestrian crossing is sorely needed to link North Perth with the blocks south of bustling Vincent Street, while another near Beatty Park could help increase the centre’s patronage. The pool’s slow lane beckons residents at two nearby retirement homes, but Vincent Street’s a daunting obstacle.
“It’s about connecting our communities. Many of our neighbourhoods are bordered by high-traffic roads that can create an island effect,” Cr Cole says.
• Vincent mayoral candidate Emma Cole with her youngens Eddie and Conor stranded in the narrow Vincent Street median strip. Photo by Trilokesh Chanmugam
“This is about allowing people to feel confident that they can walk between neighbourhoods without having to do short car trips which are perceived as safer but then lead to more traffic and parking issues as well.
“If you’re a single, fit person dashing across the street you’ll probably be okay, but when you factor in people with a disability, seniors, people with children, people with dogs, even bikes trying to get across the road trying to keep their bike in the median strip, it all gets a bit tricky,” Cr Cole says.
“People say they can’t have their pram facing forward [on the median] because it sticks out into traffic.”
Ms Cole would also like Kyilla Primary’s crossing on Charles Street upgraded. Lollipop attendants help students cross before and after school, but with markets running on weekends and parents keen to get their kids to the park on the west side of Charles, she reckons there’s enough demand to justify spending some cash.
Recent pedestrian crossings cost between $80,000 and $210,000, and all require Main Roads to agree. Current mayor John Carey has had a few gripes with Main Roads for being car-centric but Cr Cole is optimistic they’ll come along for the ride.
“Main Roads has been really getting on board recently; we had success with getting the 40kmh limit in Mount Hawthown really quickly, that was really positive and we’re hoping Main Roads keeps seeing the benefit in making allowances for liveable neighbourhoods.”
BAYSWATER councillor Terry Kenyon has been declared bankrupt by the Federal Court over a $324,767 debt to his former lawyers Lavan Legal.
On Monday registrar Russell Trott ordered that Cr Kenyon’s estate be sequestered by the public trustee, who’ll sell off assets to pay Lavan’s bill, plus another $7703 for their latest court costs. Cr Kenyon has 21 days to appeal the ruling.
The order could spell the end of his 23-year council career, at least while he sits out the three years and one day of his bankruptcy, as WA’s local government act disqualifies insolvents from sitting on councils.
Bayswater’s acting CEO Carissa Bywater told the Voice via email; “I will be writing to Cr Kenyon to provide notice that I have reason to believe that he is disqualified from holding the position of councillor at the City of Bayswater.
“However if Cr Kenyon believes that he is not disqualified, he may seek to satisfy the (acting) CEO that he is not disqualified, or he may apply to the State Administrative Tribunal seeking a declaration as to whether or not he is disqualified”.
Once he receives the notice he has 14 days to advise the CEO if he believes he’s not disqualified, then 28 days to lodge an appeal with the SAT (we haven’t heard back from Cr Kenyon about whether he plans to appeal).
Cr Kenyon’s debt arose from a defamation action against former councillors Mike Anderton and Mike Sabatino. The case was settled with the pair paying him $84,000, but they took it back after suing him for breaching a confidentiality clause.
Bayswater council pays councillors their $34,000 annual fee in advance, and Ms Bywater says councillors sign a declaration acknowledging they’ll have to pay back the remainder if they leave office early.
Perth Voice Interactive 