Perth Voice Interactive

MYSTERIOUS steps have been unearthed today, Thursday September 25, 2014, at the Elizabeth Quay development, leading the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority to call in experts to figure out what they are.

Works have stopped in the immediate area while the investigation is carried out. The Voice understands the steps could be from the old jetty leading out to the pontoon near the baths.

During early works on the site a team of archaeologists undertook test excavation on five areas to investigate artefacts—including from the original Barrack Street jetty circa 1860—sporting facilities, and an international exhibition built on the reclaimed land.

But the MRA said in its FAQ “no significant archeological remains were identified and it has been determined that no further archeological investigations are required”.
In March works had to be stopped after old wooden pillars were unearthed, and piles thought to be from the 1900 William Street wharf were dug up late 2013.

by DAVID BELL

ABORIGINAL groups, anthropologists, archaeologists and the QC who launched Mabo have savaged the Barnett government over proposed changes to the Aboriginal Heritage Act.

About 120 people staged a protest on the steps of Parliament House on Tuesday, saying the government is silencing Aborigines while making it too easy for miners and developers to get projects approved.

“They are destroying the heritage act,” Nyungar elder Richard Wilkes told the crowd, which included Labor indigenous affairs shadow Ben Wyatt.

“We are strangers on our own land.”

He also took a swipe at the Department of Indigenous Affairs, saying it had been manipulated by the government to the point it was no longer a voice for Aboriginal people.

“Where is the department?” he thundered. “It’s in ‘silver city’ in East Perth in one of the buildings with the education department and the health department and it’s almost defunct; it’s dormant and we have no voice.”

Unlawful

One of the most contentious changes is the scrapping of a statutory committee which assesses Aboriginal sites.

The power to determine which sites are significant is to be handed instead to a single bureaucrat—the CEO of the indigenous affairs department.

A former member of the Aboriginal Cultural Materials Committee who resigned out of frustration says that’s a concern, particularly because current CEO Cliff Weeks doesn’t have a heritage background.

Worse, says anthropologist Mike Robinson, when Mr Weeks (a Yamatji man) is on leave, he’s often replaced by staff with mining backgrounds.

“In recent years the character of the committee and the department has changed. DIA staff don’t have a strong background in Aboriginal heritage,” Dr Robinson told the Voice.

He said he resigned because as the committee became increasingly focused on smoothing the way for miners and developers, his expert advice was ignored.

But that presents a problem for the Barnett government. The act requires a qualified anthropologist approved by the state’s universities to be on the board. Dr Robinson’s position hasn’t been filled in almost three years.

That means hundreds of decisions made by the current committee are possibly unlawful. The Voice understands indigenous affairs minister Peter Collier has advice the decisions are safe, but Dr Robinson says that’s been challenged by a number of people.

Another contentious issue as that there is no right to appeal for Aborigines if a site is knocked back as significant, yet miners can if their projects are put at risk.

Mr Wyatt says while the right of review didn’t exist in the current act, he’s stunned it wasn’t corrected in the proposed changes.

Mr Wyatt said Labor would oppose the changes, joining Greens MLC Robin Chappell in promising to put the government through a torturous weeks-long debate to try and force changes.

“There is less role for Aboriginal people in this act than the one drafted in 1972,” Mr Wyatt said.

“Aboriginal people know the heritage and have the right to be a part of the process.”

Notre Dame University professor Greg McIntyre QC, who gained prominence when asked by Eddie Mabo to launch his historic land rights claim, said he’d been through the changes and said the only thing they’d achieve was to make it easier for “miners and developers to get their sites.”

by STEVE GRANT

THE WA public transport authority is holding a public meeting in Bayswater on the proposed 8km tunnel to be built under the city as part of the WA government’s train airport link.

Cabinet has approved the plan for the Forrestfield-Airport Link rail project, meaning the procurement process can start in 2015. It will involve 8km of tunnelling east of Bayswater station to Forrestfield. Plans indicate the tunnel will pass under, or close, to Guildford Rd.

“We have requested a community information session, specifically aimed at any questions our residents might have, Bayswater mayor Sylvan Albert says.

The information session will be held at the Civic Centre in Morley on September 18 from 5.30pm till 7.30pm

ALFRED MARSHALL died in 1947 but you might still see him after you’ve downed a few shandies at the Queens Tavern in Highgate.

His ghost is rumoured to haunt the pub, where he’d perished at the age of 64 after falling down the back stairs. His body wasn’t found till the next day.

His wife Myra used to pick him up but she was visiting family in Denmark at the time and learned about his demise on the radio.

The spooky tale is one of many interesting stories to be told about Alfred’s life in the forthcoming documentary, Alfred Loves Myra, to be made by great-granddaughter Eleanor Bunter.

Despite no previous movie-making experience, Bunter is one of three to win the Vincent film award.

Based on her idea for the documentary she was awarded $4000 cash and $1000 in-kind equipment hire from the Film and Television Institute.

The 33-year-old will get help from FTI staff to shoot and edit the film later this year.

“I’ve heard from a few people that Alfred’s ghost still haunts the back stairs at the pub, but the hotel manager denies it,” she laughs.

“Alfred had such an amazing life: he married Myra, who had an illegitimate daughter, in the 1940s, which was unheard of at the time, and fought in World War I.

“He had a policy never to smack children, which again was very unusual for the time, and every morning would stoke the fire and bring my great-grandmother a cup of tea in bed.

“In many ways he was a progressive and ahead of his time.”

Alfred worked as a French polisher in Povey’s on Newcastle Street and was awarded medals for his service in the Great War.

The coupled lived in a little semi-detached on Lincoln Street in Highgate. After Alfred’s death, Myra moved to Barlee Street where she lived to 97.

Alfred Loves Myra will include interviews with Alfred’s two daughters—now 80 and 76-years-old—and archive footage: “My nana’s a bit nervous she won’t know the answers to the questions,” laughs Bunter, who is mother to seven- and five- year-old girls.

“I said ‘You will, it’s your history!’”

The film will be shown in Hyde Park as part of Vincent’s annual summer concert Series.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK

THE owner of the Charles Hotel is seeking a rezoning which, if granted, would allow up to five storeys across the 14,000sqm site.

Vincent city council wants the sprawling Charles Street site rezoned up to R100 in its new planning scheme but Chris Angelkov is angling for R160 residential-commercial.

He says he has no immediate plans to redevelop but wants “flexibility down the line”.

Neighbours are aghast, describing the council’s consultation process a shambles.

Eton Street’s Norm Wells says many residents are unaware their homes are included in the proposed R160 envelope.

“Properties that are not owned by the hotel have been included in the proposed rezoning, including some R40 single dwellings,” he says.

“Apart from one residence that is included in the proposal, but not owned by the hotel, no other affected parties appeared to have been notified.”

Former local Labor MP Bob Kucera says density of that magnitude is inappropriate for the area: “A five-storey development on either site is totally unsuited and unacceptable in this area.

“This is not a high-rise or commercial area: it is generally a quiet, well-developed residential area that has put up with the usual problems hotels cause for 30 years, largely without complaining.

“Frankly the lack of consultation has now scared the horses, with locals very concerned about the future, the value of their properties, and what may be foisted on them with any developments.”

But Mr Angelkov says Charles Street is a “major arterial route serviced by public transport, has four access roads and is an iconic destination in the area”.

“Under the new town planning scheme much smaller sites on Charles Street will become R100, so I think it is fair that we are coded higher.

“There are a lot less suitable sites in the city which are getting multi-storey approval.”

Vincent CEO Len Kosova concedes an additional mailout informing residents of the hotel’s proposal was wrong.

“In its notification letter to adjoining property owners, the city incorrectly included 124 Eton Street and 517 Charles Street as forming part of the Charles Hotel submission,” he says. “As a result of this error, some landowners requested and were granted an extension of time to provide their comments to the city.”

Vincent acting mayor Ros Harley says an open day and two public consultation forums on the new planning scheme have been held: “The extra mailout was not compulsory, but we wanted to keep residents informed.”

by STEPHEN POLLOCK

VINCENT city council will raid interest earnings of $745,352, accummulated from its aged persons and senior citizens reserve over the past five years, to offset its surprise budget deficit.

The council’s financials are in deep trouble after $3.2 million listed as a surplus was found to be a deficit.

The transfer was approved at a special council meeting earlier this month.

It leaves $2.87 million in the account.

Former Vincent councillor Dudley Maier says the council also has to take inflation into account.

“If you look at the seniors reserve and you go back to 2009/10 it started off that year with $2.48m in reserve,” he said.

“If you go to the ABS and look at the effects of inflation that equates to $2.83m in today’s dollars—that’s $350,000 more.

“So essentially you need $350,000 more in that reserve just to maintain the purchasing power.

“The reason you put the interest in is to increase the value of that nest egg, but also to maintain the value of that nest egg and counter the effect of inflation.”

by STEPHEN POLLOCK

COOLBINIA residents say their verges and streets have been wrecked by faltering installation of underground power in their street.

House owners forked out around $5000 each for the work but complications saw contractor Diamond Communications down tools for 10 weeks.

Carnarvon Street’s Mike Davidson has taken a black humour approach, nicknaming the contractor “Diamonds take forever”: “My front nature strip is a mess also, although I do have a monster member sticking out of the ground, with its own play pen of many months,” he laughs.

“I think it would be wise to document this ‘installation’ for current and future installers as a John Cleese type training film.

“On a practical level if this installation is going to be profitable, it gives new life to the saying diamonds are forever.”

Neighbour Dee Allen doesn’t see the funny side.

“They started digging on February 19, severing my reticulation and gas lines.

“I had enough and went to MP Michael Sutherland and the power and water ombudsman to get it fixed. This week they fixed up the grass, but they still need to fix the brick paving that was brand new before they started, but got dug up and run over.  My driveway has three bitumen patches in it—very ugly.”

Arthur Mistilis reckons he could have dug by now the Euro tunnel single-handedly armed only with a pick and shovel.

“The work has been stop-start and no project can pay at that rate,” he says.

Western Power says the problems have been sorted and the project should be finished by the end of the year—on budget.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK

THE Maylands ratepayers and residents association has written to Bayswater city council expressing “no confidence” in local councillor John Rifici.

MRRA president Roger Tomlins says Cr Rifici has not attended any association meetings and ratepayers feel “disenfranchised”. “There is a definite lack of representation,” he says. “He never comes to our meetings, despite me asking him repeatedly, fails to respond to our emails on issues and is not on the ground enough.

“He lives in North Fremantle and doesn’t even work in Maylands anymore.”

At the time of his election in October, Cr Rifici owned Rifo’s Cafe in Maylands, but he sold it in January to pursue a career in real estate. Cr Rifici says he will not re-contest his seat at the next election.

“I’m still 100 per cent committed to my role until then,” he says. “People forget that I worked in Rifo’s for 14 years and have a fantastic understanding of the area.

“I’ve only missed two councils meetings and have participated in numerous debates and votes on decisions affecting Maylands.

“I think this is just a case of people in the MRRA trying to raise their profile ahead of the next council election.”

Maylands Labor MP Lisa Baker, who regularly attends MRRA meetings, says “the association felt he wasn’t giving them the time of day”. “John hasn’t bothered to come and visit me as the local member for Maylands either,” she notes.

“I had a great working relationship with his predecessor Sonia Turkington and we would have regular meetings.”

Mayor Sylvan Albert says Cr Rifici’s attendance is “in accordance” with the law.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK