Perth Voice Interactive

A PUPPY welfare organisation will protest outside a Mt Lawley pet shop on Sunday.

Oscar’s Law wants “puppy factories” abolished and is targeting a Beaufort Street pet shop it claims flies in litters of puppies from “factories” in the eastern states for the Christmas rush. Puppy farms are big news in the eastern states, with new Victorian premier Dan Andrews campaigning heavily on a promise to outlaw them.

Oscar’s Law spokesperson Kerryn Wood say many pet shops in Perth do business with eastern states puppy factories.

“Oscar’s Law chooses to perform peaceful protests in the vicinity of pet shops to grow awareness and educate consumers about puppy factories,” she says.

“We are trying to take the market away from the puppy farmers and pet shops involved, and promote adoption.

“We urge all consumers who are considering purchasing a pet this Christmas to visit a shelter or a pound, to give one of these unwanted animals another chance”

Maylands Labor MP Lisa Baker says the crackdowns in Victoria and Queensland mean more young pooches will end up in WA, sold through pet shops, markets and online sites like the Quokka: “Consumers should always check that the registration number for a puppy, which is sometimes provided by pet shops, online sites or newspapers is truly a DogsWest breeder registration number and not a ‘kennel licence number’,” she says.

“Kennel licences are just about having local council approval to breed dogs on a property, which is very different from a breeder registration.

“What consumers must demand is the breeder registration number, which is issued through DogsWest.”

Oscar’s Law wants to abolish factory farming of companion animals, and ban the sale of companion animals from pet shops and via online ads.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK

A FEW weeks after WA consumer protection issued a warning about WA Tree Services, the Voice has received another complaint about the firm.

Mt Lawley pensioner Brian Waugh says the firm is letter-boxing flyers that advertise tree lopping work before the council’s green collection.

Mr Waugh says there is no annual green collection in Bayswater: residents must request a blue bin via one of their three rates passes.

“The flyer is misleading and all the branches and green waste would end up sitting on the verge and not being collected,” says the 68-year-old.

“I’ve had a flyer from them every three months for the past year.

“I’ve contacted Bayswater council and consumer protection to let them know.”

The department has already charged WA Tree Services with trying to fleece an 88-year-old Coolbinia man out of $1000 (Voice, November 28, 2014).

The company is already the subject of several warnings and “enforceable undertaking” orders after previous court appearances.

Last year WATS was “named and shamed” for the third time following complaints about allegedly bullying behaviour over demands for payment.

The WA consumer protection department has several legal actions pending against WATS in the magistrates and supreme courts.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK

HOW on earth do you get chucked out of Carols by Candlelight?

Tree advocate Greg Smith can tell you: he was ejected from Bayswater’s Halliday Park event for protesting the felling of trees at the reserve.

“I was wearing a sandwich board sign with the signs reading ‘trees lest we forget’ and ‘Bayswater Urban Tree Network’,” he told the Voice.

The long-time Bayswater local has been ropeable ever since the council axed century-old trees in the park after claiming they were old and dangerous. Mr Smith wants to see independent expert advice backing up the claim.

At the December 13 event he was approached by two rangers who, he says, told him “it’s a private event and I was not allowed to protest at this private event”.

Formerly a veteran council planner, he’s lodged a complaint with Bayswater CEO Fran Lefante demanding to know what authority the rangers claim to have to remove people from a public park and, if they do, “why is it being used in such a capricious manner”.

He says he’s previously been told by rangers they have no power to deal with drunks hanging about the park, so he wonders why they are able to deal with protestors.

Mayor Sylvan Albert says a right to protest must be balanced with the council’s obligation to ensure families could enjoy their evening without being unduly disturbed.

“The city asked Mr Smith to move to the outer perimeter of  the event boundaries out of courtesy and respect to other people enjoying the carols evening,” the mayor said.

“This allowed him to continue to demonstrate and engage with people should he be approached, and simultaneously allowed the other visitors to  enjoy singing the carols undisturbed during the evening.”

by DAVID BELL

THE old Methodist Manse on Newcastle Street will live to see another Christmas after the local development assessment panel rejected a request to demolish it.

Owners J and R Baker wanted to knock it over to make way for an eight-storey office and units development. The application was a fair way’s north of allowed limits and the setback was too tiny so the DAP knocked it on the head.

Alf Parolo from the Cleaver Precinct group explains his members are worried about the rapid rate of change to their once-quiet residential area.

It’s still largely one-storey houses at that end of the street but new changes to the town planning scheme have developers salivating at the prospect of knocking over old buildings to build big, profitable towers. Vincent’s once-maligned planning section earned a thumbs-up from the precinct, with Mr Parolo praising manager Petar Mrdja for a solid job in recommending rejection.

 

It’s a temporary win for the group: given the money to be made on every square metre, it expects to see a slightly revised application emerge down the track.

Built in the 1890s, the Methodist Manse was home to the reverends of the Wesleyan Church on Charles Street.

It was in line to be heritage listed during Nick Catania’s days as mayor, with council staff saying it was a rare building because the usual decorations seen in federation bungalows were deliberately plain to suit the austerity ethos of the church.

Despite staff reports about the building being rare, in good nick, and having a rich history, the council voted not to list it—not that municipal lists are worth a cracker when it comes to appeals to the state administrative tribunal, which will have ultimate authority over any future application.

by DAVID BELL

DARRYL MOORE has revealed he will again seek Liberal Party preselection for the seat of Perth at the next federal election.

Trounced by Alannah MacTiernan in 2013 in what was expected to be a much closer battle, he has been a regular critic of the Labor MP in the year since her election.

In one letter published in the Voice he suggested Ms MacTiernan join with other Labor MPs to make peace with ISIS, which he predicted would “either result in an historic agreement… or a short and disturbing internet video”.

Mr Moore confirmed via email he’d give it another go: “I will be putting up my hand once again, in running for the honour of being pre-selected as the Liberal candidate. Regardless of who receives the honour of being pre-selected from the Liberal Party, the 96,000 adults who reside in the 23 suburbs that make up the federal seat of Perth deserve better representation in our federal parliament than what they are receiving now.”

Mr Moore’s 2013 campaign was marked by his extreme reluctance to talk to journalists, unlike his Labor opponent. When the Voice asked his views on marriage equality he said he’d tell us only after clearing it with his campaign director, party director and campaign committee.

The wheels fell off the campaign when former Liberal staffer Darren Brown exposed Mr Moore’s online history, where he’d referred to tenants as “ferals” and “illiterate”. He’d also posted that when it came to doing business with women he made it “a particular point to be extra tough” to ensure he wasn’t swayed by flirting.

by DAVID BELL

A CHAPLAIN has been sacked from her three Perth schools following Barnett government education cuts.

Karen Hearty worked for six-and-a-half years at Inglewood primary, and seven-and-a-half at Noranda and Hampton Park. She was told last week this week would be her last.

Despite joining WA’s growing unemployment queue, Ms Hearty is more concerned about the welfare of students now left without pastoral care.

“During my time at these schools, parents died through illness or tragic accidents, siblings attempted suicide and other pupils passed away,” she says.

“Children need help to deal with grief and the chaplain was a way of them talking to someone outside their family—sometimes it’s easier that way. I was at those schools for years and built up amazing relationships with the pupils and teachers. That will be hard to replace.”

An Inglewood local for 27 years, she also offered help regularly to around 25 Inglewood primary students.

The WA education department announced this week the number of government schools to receive chaplaincy funding will be cut from 357 to 247.

It’s a different story for religious schools, with 25 more schools receiving chaplaincy funding over 2015 and 2016, taking them to 60 Catholic and 54 independent schools.

Inglewood P&C secretary Mark Edwards says chaplains offer more than a sympathetic ear: “Karen helped organise charitable events, including a special collection for disadvantaged kids overseas, and assisted kids with learning difficulties and behavioural disorders,” he says.

“She was a non-judgemental, non-teaching voice that will be sadly missed. Her absence leaves children at risk.”

Despite the High Court ruling in June it was constitutionally invalid for the federal government to directly fund chaplaincy organisations, the Abbott government confirmed last week it was setting aside  $242 million over the next four years to fund the services.

It will have to provide those funds via state governments. The federal government also changed the rules to ban secular counsellors from receiving funding: chaplains are not allowed to proselytise (preach and recruit) but must have religious foundations.

“Chaplains provide much needed pastoral care and emotional support to students who experience the trauma of family break up and other difficulties at home or at school,” says Maylands Labor MP Lisa Baker, whose electorate is hit hard by funding cuts.

“The Barnett government is a Scrooge for forcing school P&Cs to foot the bill for these essential services or risk their chaplain services altogether.”

She’ll table petitions on affected schools in state parliament.

Inglewood principal Lesley Bell had hoped to increase chaplaincy hours to two days a week before the Budget cuts were announced: “It is a very valued service,” she says.

“We are sad to see the cut in the program and next year will talk with our supportive community and P&C to see if we can get any other sort of funding.”

by STEPHEN POLLOCK

HIGHER parking fines and paid parking are Bayswater’s new year gifts for motorists.

A draft of the council’s new parking policy reveals many fines will skyrocket from $50 to $80 or $85, including fines issued for parking on median strips or failure to park wholly within a parking area.

Hefty $150 fines will be meted out for certain offences, including parking on a reserve, stopping in a clearway and stopping within continuous yellow lines.

Residential parking permits and paid parking stalls are also being introduced.

Earlier this year Cr Alan Radford said paid parking in Bayswater was inevitable: “I think it will benefit certain areas and improve access,” he said.

“For instance, in and around Bayswater railway stations and the Galleria people come from out of the city and park there all day on council-owned land.

“Meters would free up bays and enable people to park there for an hour or so and use the local shops.

“Also, if we want to build multi-storey car parks we need the funds to build them.”

The new parking policy will be advertised for public comment for six weeks.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK

HAVING been turned down for heritage listing, the rare 1930s Grafton Flats at 49 Ventnor Avenue were demolished this week.

Perth councillor Reece Harley lived in one of the West Perth units for a year and said the doomed building deserved saving.

Despite an independent heritage report extolling its historic virtues, both the WA heritage office and Perth city council last year deemed it not significant enough for listing.

It was, however, noted for its “landmark qualities as an idiosyncratic and picturesque building,” its representation of the flats boom in the inter-war era, and its association with JP Walsh, a prominent businessman who founded Walsh’s Economic Store on Hay Street.

“I was personally sad to see the property demolished,” Cr Harley said. “The apartment held many happy memories for me and reflected a certain style of housing which is now very rare in our city.

“It’s hard to beat the craftsmanship and elegant design of the 1930s and these apartments had all of the original fixings, floorboards, windows, doors and decorative ceilings perfectly intact.

“To know that generations of city residents had lived there before me was a source of immense pride”.

But the new owners opposed municipal heritage listing as they wanted to replace the building with an 88-room hotel.

They told the council “the prudent and feasible approach of Grafton Flats would be to record to archive standard, and demolition”.

If the listing had gone ahead the owner would’ve been eligible for heritage grants, awards, rate concessions, and bonus plot ratio that could have been sold to other projects so developers could whack on a few extra storeys.

Former Grafton Flats owner Luciano Uratoriu owned the place for 37 years before selling last year. He said he was sorry to see the old apartments go, but pleased an older house at the front was retained.

One block away on Walker Avenue, one of the 100-year-old-plus buildings looks like it’ll be protected.

The owner of the 1905 Federation Queen Anne home at number 8 has volunteered his house for protection.

Cr Harley has requested PCC staffers get in touch with other homeowners on the street to better spruik the benefits of heritage listing.

by DAVID BELL

BAYSWATER City Residents’ Association wants council meetings recorded and made available to the public.

The proposal by BBRA president Tony Green won approval at last week’s council AGM, which means the council is now required to formally consider it and, if it’s rejected, give a reason for rejection.

“Other councils, including Bassendean do it, so why can’t we?” Mr Green says.

“All that gets recorded in the minutes is what was passed and the vote, not the nitty gritty. We need more transparency.”

Bayswater is the only council in Voiceland that doesn’t record its meetings.

The council voted in October 2010 to abolish recording, with then-Cr Graham Pittaway stating councillors on the factionally riven council had been poring over tapes, nitpicking for misspoken words to take to lawyers.

Mr Green says legal action shouldn’t be a problem if councillors stick to the local government code of conduct.

In 2012, Cr Chris Cornish pushed for the council to record meetings and post them online, arguing the cost was negligible and it would make the council more transparent. His motion was defeated: “A lot of people are unable to attend the monthly council meeting due to work/family commitments or transportation difficulties,” he’d said.

Vincent, Stirling and Perth city councils don’t automatically release audio recordings to the public, but they are available on demand.

Mr Green also won residents’ support for council’s committees to be amalgamated to save money. The motions go before council for consideration early next year.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK

Delicious dummy spit
WHAT a delicious quote within your article last week “Morley off the map for NBN” (Voice, December 6, 2014) where your favourite media go-to line-grab girl is having yet another bleat.
In it, the Labor member falsely “reckons the new schedule favours Liberal seats”. Dummy spit or what? It must get terribly lonely and frustrating sitting there twiddling her thumbs on the Opposition’s cold backbench in Canberra with absolutely no influence whatsoever at the government decision-making table. Voters within the federal seat of Perth deserved so much better.
If she truly believes her own falsehoods, then I look forward to her support at the next election turning the federal seat Liberal, where the people of Perth can finally join the winning federal team, and finally have proper representation at the decision-making table, rather than simply mindlessly protesting outside.
I’ll even save her a blue campaign T-shirt.
Darryl Moore
Federal Liberal Candidate for Perth 2013
Beaufort St, Bedford 

It’s about equity
I REFER to the letter by Enzo Sirna AM (“Wiped out overnight,” Voice Mail, December 6, 2014) and note that in the past, the Italo-Australian Welfare & Cultural Centre has been the largest recipient of the WA community languages program funding. With 29 community organisations providing courses across 18 languages, this is clearly inequitable.
This year, Erebus International undertook an external review of WA’s community languages program and identified unmet needs for the provision of programs across a wide range of languages. It also noted the significant imbalance in the distribution of funds and that the current program delivery structure and administration does not reflect best practice.
Given these issues, my aim is to restructure the program to one that will enable more equitable access to a community languages program for all language students and one that complements languages curriculum available within the formal school systems.
First, we are restructuring the program to principally support after-hours classes. This will be achieved through a two-staged reduction of funding to the Italian insertion classes currently delivered through government public schools and Catholic schools.
Then in 2015, funding will be reapportioned to 29 community languages schools currently being funded for the delivery of community languages tuition; and consideration will also be given to those community language schools operating without funding and those wishing to establish a community language school.
The office of multicultural interests has been meeting with stakeholders this week to brief them on the changes, which will include an increase in per capita grant funding from $65 to $100 per student during 2015 as we transition to the commencement of the new funding model in January 2016.
The community languages program is of enormous value to our diverse community. I encourage everyone to support the more equitable funding changes that are being made as they will provide value for money and help to meet future community language needs.
Dr Mike Nahan MLA
Minister for Citizenship and
Multicultural Interests

Inappropriate
YET again I see that the Perth Voice refers to the “powerful but unelected” WA state administrative tribunal (December 6, 2014).
There is a good reason why the members of the SAT are not elected: the SAT is a court, just like any other part of the court system, and its members must have legal or other suitable qualifications.
The tribunal reviews decisions made by government agencies and has original jurisdiction in various matters. Appeals lie to the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court. One would not refer to “the powerful but unelected Supreme Court of Western Australia”: referring to SAT in these terms is just as inappropriate.
Peter Handford
Winthrop
Professor, Law School UWA
The Ed says: Thanks for that, Prof, but for as long as the SAT continues to override the decisions of elected bodies, we’ll continue to point out it is not elected. The SAT doesn’t simply adjudicate whether planning decisions are lawful, it enjoys wide discretionary power and often—too often in our opinion—overrides perfectly lawful decisions made by elected councils simply because its member (or members) has another preference.

Garbage
I THINK that letter you published from the jerk who wants to shut down the soup kichen on Beaufort street has to be one of the most offensive things I’ve read in the many many years I’ve lived in Northbridge.
What right do people like that have to move into my town and try to shut down support services for people, some of whom have been living in Northbridge for decades?
The old guy next door to me has been living around Northbridge for decades and he’s very much dependent on the soup kitchen because his medical costs mean theres not much left of his pension for food after his rent.
Combined with vilifying mentally ill folks and poorly veiled racism at our indigenous brothers, the author hit a hole-in-one in offensive garbage. If anyone needs to get out of my suburb, it’s the yuppie gentrifiers pushing rents up and trying to shut down the diversity of our multicultural working class inner-city suburb.
Shayne G O’Neill
Northbridge