Perth Voice Interactive

THEY’VE done it again: Vandals have damaged the public artwork at Ellesmere Reserve.

Near-neighbour Bob Kucera called the Voice reporting the artwork—IMAG_NE by Emma Anna—was vandalised Friday night.

“It’s become quite a feature in the area and it’s disappointing to see some low-life cretin come along and do something like that to it,” the former Labor MP said.

“You couldn’t even call them a halfwit. It’d take two of them to make a halfwit.”

“You couldn’t even call them a halfwit. It’d take two of them to make a halfwit.”

Mr Kucera says he doesn’t object to the nearby Charles Hotel and supports its live music nights, but he suggests it could keep a closer eye on its patrons when they leave as trouble seems to start when the pub closes.

We ran that past Chris Angelokov from the Charles Hotel, who said it was ridiculous to claim the pub’s departing patrons had anything to do with the vandalism.

“On the weekend I had Brian Cadd and Glen Shorrock on and the average age of my customers was about 58,” Mr Angelokov says. “Who in this age group would go across and vandalise the park? They were mature and well-behaved people…”

It cost upwards of $1000 to repair and reinforce the work last time vandals pulled off one of its letters.

by DAVID BELL

BOARDED up brothels on Roe Street are some of photographer Pippa Tandy’s earliest memories of growing up in Perth.

Remembering Perth’s red-light district as a teenager, she tells the Voice: “You hurried past.”

Then Perth, not Northbridge, it was known colloquially as “the Latin Quarter”, an area of gambling dens and unsavoury characters, where ordinary citizens were not encouraged to linger: “It was genuinely sleazy, from my memory, not the genteel sleaze [of today],” Tandy says.

Factories and the sex industry rubbed shoulders with shops, cafes and the homes of mostly Italian and Greek migrants. The now trendy Re Store was where emigres filled flagons with locally made wine.

Tandy’s latest exhibition The William Street Project, is aimed at capturing the atmosphere of the past, overlaid with the present.

“The moodiness you get on William Street.”

Having experienced the area at its toughest, Tandy is happy these days to walk the streets at night, including a recent wander in the small wee hours of Sunday.

“If you stay out of people’s faces you are okay,”

“I turned into William Street and could hear the sound of breaking glass—at three in the morning.”

Liquored up punters were spilling out of nightclubs, queuing for kebabs and looking for transport home, at a time when less intrepid souls avoid Northbridge.

“If you stay out of people’s faces you are okay,” the 62-year-old says, adding, “my fear is being run over”.

The exhibition follows the people on William St over several 24-hour periods. Day-time shoppers, and shop-keepers, office workers hurrying along the pavement to and from work, the weekend night-time crowds—and the sun coming up as the early morning street cleaners, mop up the night’s carnage.

“I work all along the street in all kinds of interiors from the well-known Bird near the Horseshoe Bridge to my dentist next door to the Perth Mosque,” Tandy says. Different times of the year yield different moods, the streets sombre in the rain, or dazzling with sunshine.

“In winter people are scurrying, in summer they are loping.”

Tandy had started the project as a technical challenge, “an exercise to develop my photo skills with urban subjects”.

“[But] the street took over and opened up all kinds of ways I had never imagined possible.”

The William Street Project is on at The KURBgallery, 312 William St, Northbridge, December 15–31, with a chance to talk to the artist Saturday December 21, 2.30.

by JENNY D’ANGER

A FILIPINO man and his wife from Bedford have organised a fundraiser for the Typhoon Haiyan disaster, dismayed to hear corruption is stopping funds getting to his home province.

Rhay Rom says his relations in Ormoc City and Merida were without food for five days and had their homes destroyed after Typhoon Haiyan struck in November.

Wife Mel says municipalities in the fourth district of Leyte, including Albuera, Kananga and Isabel, were slow to receive aid because they did not receive as much coverage in the media.

She claims the delay was exacerbated by corrupt officials in Ormoc, who re-directed donated goods to their friends and supporters.

All funds from the Raise the Roof concert will be used to purchase $77 shelter kits, made from corrugated iron and wood, for the homeless.

“It will rain every night in the Philippines until February, so it is important that we get these shelters over there as soon as possible,” MsRom says.

One month after typhoon Haiyan tore through six Philippine islands, the death toll stands at 5924 and 1779 people are still missing.

“We will distribute aid via the Kids Foundation and local senator Lucy Torres-Gomez, who I know is reputable and trustworthy.

“There are around 80,000 families in the fourth district affected by the disaster—it’s shocking.”

One month after typhoon Haiyan tore through six Philippine islands, the death toll stands at 5924 and 1779 people are still missing.

Local acts signed up to perform include Generation V, Little Black Dress and Alan Stewart.

Rhay, a full time musician, moved from Ormoc to Perth 25 years ago.

He met his then-to-be wife Mel in a karaoke bar, where they sang “Endless Love” and became inseparable.

In 2007, the pair established a system where people could donate sewing machines to the Philippines to help make clothes for the indigent.

There are now over 27 sewing machines centres across the country.

Raise the Roof will be held at the Bedford bowling club on December 20.

Contact Mel for tickets on 0409 117 822.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK

“ONE man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter,” says Mt Lawley MP and South African ex-pat Michael Sutherland.

“Some people think of Nelson Mandela’s early years as controversial, but you have to look at his life in totality.

“Apartheid was iniquitous and demeaning towards black people.

“I respect Mandela and the monumental changes he achieved.”

Mr Sutherland emigrated from apartheid-era South Africa in 1987, in search of a more egalitarian society.

He was 32 and working as a lawyer in his home town of Johannesburg.

Black lawyers were not allowed in the same chambers as him, mixed-marriage was a criminal offence and the “insidious” Nationalist propaganda machine stifled democracy and the free press.

“I thought there was going to be a civil war,” Mr Sutherland says. “I was sick of the Nationalists and the fetters they put on society—at best they were myopic, ideologues; at worst, bullies and thugs.

“As amazing as it seems now, the ANC were relegated to non-people—it was disgusting.”

“You never want to leave your country because it’s your home, but I just couldn’t see how anything was going to change at that point—I had to get out.”

Mr Sutherland rebuilt his life in Perth, working a solicitor and quietly forging a political career that saw him become a Perth councillor and the capital city’s deputy mayor.

He has held the seat of Mt Lawley for the Liberals since 2008 and in 2013 became speaker of the legislative assembly.

“While Mandela was in gaol for nearly three decades, he slipped out the public’s consciousness,” Mr Sutherland recalls. “The Nationalists banned the ANC and other dissenting voices, so the press couldn’t publish any quotes opposing the government.

“As amazing as it seems now, the ANC were relegated to non-people—it was disgusting.”

Despite retaining a deep-seated fondness for South Africa, he has only ventured back once since the fall of apartheid.

“I needed time away from all the politics and hubbub of the place, but something deep inside drew me back in 2011,” says the 59-year-old.

“It’s still far from perfect and people are concerned about corruption and the nationalisation of industry, but Mandela changed things for the better. The most remarkable testament to the man is that when he got out of gaol after 27 years he wasn’t full of hatred and seeking revenge.

“He also managed to persuade people who had been imprisoned with him to forgive.

“That was the mark of the man.”

by STEPHEN POLLOCK

A NEW design has been approved for the old Playhouse Theatre site near the St Georges Cathedral in Perth.

It’s second-time lucky for the project, after Perth city council approved an initial design in February 2011.

While the Playhouse was demolished the replacement project never saw the light of day.

Now a nine-level office building called “St Georges Chambers” will go up to house the offices of the archbishop and Perth diocesan trustees.

A cafe will round out the ground floor along with a large landscaped public plaza between the buildings on the church site.

“This’ll be the premier prestige heritage precinct in the city.”

Kerry Hill Architects won a design competition with their wavy design for the site. It’s been a good week for the Freo-based company, which also won the design contest for Fremantle’s King’s Square, and which is already working on the new city library.

Perth councillor Rob Butler says the quality design was evidence that competitions work.

Cr Reece Harley adds, “I was encouraged to see something that wasn’t overbuilt… that really respects the site.

“This’ll be the premier prestige heritage precinct in the city.”

The WA heritage office agrees, saying it “considers the development a positive outcome for the cultural significance of St George’s Cathedral”.

by DAVID BELL

IT was a quiet affair at this year’s Perth city council AGM, with the couple of ratepayers who’d showed up easily outnumbered by council staffers.

A conspicuous absence was former councillor Lyndon Rodgers, who didn’t show to receive his certificate of service after his re-election bid failed in October.

Mr Rodgers, often at odds with the pro-mayor majority, told the Voice he wasn’t fussed because he hadn’t been in it for the accolades.

Even residents who’d won the earlybird ratepayer’s prize didn’t turn up, leaving the suits from the bank who were donating the cheque sitting with the envelope in their hands.

Lord mayor Lisa Scaffidi says the low turnout indicates people are content, and in her review of the year she says the council had scored plenty of runs on the board.

Ms Scaffidi came runner-up in the international world mayor project, while the council’s parking department also picked up the ‘parking organisation of the year’ award.

The lord mayor says the Goderich Street affordable housing project—the first council-driven initiative to provide apartments at 20 per cent below market rates for key city workers—had also been a runaway success, having been fully tenanted as of last week.

Ms Scaffidi says the free wifi trial in Murray Street Mall has also had a good response, and she notes the council has also lobbied hard to save the pedestrian malls by opposing state government plans to run light rail through them.

She concluded with a recap of the mergers, restating the council’s position was to take just a small chunk of Vincent and maintain an inner city focus.

The only local resident to speak was Nigel Prescott, who agreed with Ms Scaffidi’s vision. He recalled the days before the old Perth city council got split into Victoria Park, Cambridge and Vincent.

“To be honest, the outer suburbs were a massive distraction,” Mr Prescott said.

IT’S the elephant not in the room: Month after month Perth city council meetings struggle to attract more than two locals to its public gallery, while just across the border Vincent often sees a dozen and sometimes 30 or more.

The WA government wants the two councils to merge, but Vincent mayor John Carey hopes his council’s easy-going and accessible culture will carry over to the amalgamated body.

“We have a culture that encourages people to attend our council meetings and allows them to have their own say.”

Mr Carey says the way the councils conduct public question time marks “a sharp difference” and Vincent is much more approachable.

“I might not like what some residents have to say, they’re critical to our faces, but that’s democracy and a healthy local government.”

Perth lord mayor Lisa Scaffidi defends her council as open and accountable, saying all meetings and committees are open to the public and its head honchoes are easily accessible.

by DAVID BELL

FACILITIES at Morley’s Beales Park are so “third world” that young female players “change into their playing strip behind towels in the middle of the park”.

Noranda Women’s Football Club is currently based at the Noranda sporting complex, sharing facilities with two other clubs. It’s pretty crowded and means the complex grounds are often booked out.

The women’s club has been using Beales Park as an overspill ground and is now keen to build its own changing room and pavilion there.

President Chris Blake says existing facilities at Beale are “third world” and will need upgrading first.

“The existing toilets are third-world and definitely nowhere near Australian standards,” Mr Blake wrote to Bayswater city council.

“At present young women change into their playing strip behind towels in the middle of the park.

“Due to the disgusting condition of the toilets most refuse to use them, opting to travel the half-kilometre to use Noranda sporting complex facilities instead. This is unacceptable and embarrassing.”

“The existing toilets are third-world and definitely nowhere near Australian standards,”

Beales Park—an active reserve on the corner of McGilvray Avenue and Lincoln Rd—has been under-utilised with no formal bookings since October 2011.

Before that it was booked fewer then 20 times a year.

The women’s state league first division side has offered to pay for new infrastructure at the park.

Cr Michelle Sutherland—who coaches a female soccer team in her spare time—says it’s a great fit.

“I think this would be great for the local community in Morley,” she says.

“It’s not often you get a club who are willing to pay for the new facilities themselves—that is refreshing.”

Around a dozen players from the Noranda women’s football club trouped into the council gallery to hear the council debate its plans.

Cr Alan Radford raised concerns about the impact of traffic on surrounding suburban streets.

“There is no provision for car parking in the plan,” he said.

Council voted to undertake community consultation and prepare a report.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK

A LOCAL doco will delve into the history of Italian cuisine around Perth.

Adrian Craddock decided to make Spaghetti in the Suburbs after hearing his nonna’s tales about how important the comfort of food was to a young immigrant growing up in a strange new country.

“My nonna came over to Australia in the ‘50s,” he says.

“She used to talk about that time when she was very homesick. For a year when she moved to Australia from Napoli she cried every day.

“One of the things that gave her great comfort was the Re Store in Northbridge.

“At the time, with the language barrier, it felt like a little bit of home.”

Mr Craddock says it’s a common story to hear from Italian child migrants that they’d get picked on when showing up to school with salami sandwiches.

“A lot of people had a really visceral response to Italian food, they viewed it as being disgusting and suspicious.

“It was pretty English, the culinary landscape at the time: Fish and chips, lamb roast on a Sunday, that’s why it was so hard for people like my nonna.”

He says the Re family looked after Italian immigrants and had a lot of loyal customers: His nonna tells a story about how she’d bought a pasta pot from the Re Store shortly after arriving in Australia.

“Thirty years later the handle broke off. She, being my nonna and fairly thrifty, went back to the Re Store and said ‘you sold me this and it’s broken!’.

“They amazingly said ‘fair enough’ and went out the back and said ‘we’ve got this one, it’s a bit bigger, would you be happy with that?’ and they just gave her a pot.”

While Australians’ initial reception to Italian food was frosty, Mondo’s butcher Vince Garreffa—interviewed in the doco—says the tide gradually turned.

Mr Garreffa told him: “Once we started selling spaghetti in the surbubs, we’d won the cultural war!

Mr Craddock says: “He suffered that same things of being teased when he was younger. And now you don’t have to go to a specialist store to buy these foods, they’ve won the war, it’s completely normalised now.”

He found the cycle repeats through different waves of immigration: Vietnamese food suffered a similarly sceptical reception before being embraced, and now Middle-Eastern and African food is gradually becoming more common.

The 24-year-old, who grew up in Perth but moved to Melbourne last week to be the new correspondent for Monocle magazine, won a grant from Vincent city council’s film project for the doco.

It’ll feature at a free outdoor screening along with the other winners, Milly James’ drama Beautiful Distortion and James Pontifex’s romantic comedy The Meet Cute. A short film about the “One in, All-in” amalgamation campaign will also show at the February 22 screening at Hyde Park.

by DAVID BELL