Perth Voice Interactive

“I WANT to go home,” Barbara Campbell, 87, says, unable to finish lunch at Mercy Hospital in Mt Lawley. “I can’t believe it has happened.”

The frail North Perth grandmother of eight and great-grandmother of four told the Voice she had been held against her will since suffering a fall at home two weeks ago.

The mother of lawyer the late Penny Easton, Mrs Campbell describes her experience with WA’s hospital system as an “incredible journey”.

She says a psychiatrist visted her Tuesday and she’s fearful she will be certified.

“I told her I was being kept here a prisoner.”

She says her family is concerned about her blood sugar levels and is convinced, “I’m in the right place”.

Importantly, Mrs Campbell has not been advised of any order providing a third party with the legal right to detain her against her wishes.

Mercy hospital management is tight-lipped for legal reasons, a spokesperson saying only “the issue is being managed”.

Mrs Campbell was admitted to Royal Perth Hospital two weeks ago when she fell trying to bring inside her portable clothes hoist.

“I cut my head and I could feel the blood,” she told the Voice, which visited her at Mercy, where she had been transferred after a week at RPH.

She says she’d tried to leave RPH on a walker but was physically restrained after attempting to leave via reception.

“Next thing I know I’m in an ambulance on my way to Mercy,” she says. “They won’t even give me a walker, they’re worried I might scoot out of here.”

Mrs Campbell says the hospital is ignoring her pleas to return home, citing her diabetes as a reason for keeping her put.

“I have had diabetes for a long time,” she says. “Why suddenly is it a problem?”

by CARMELO AMALFI

VINCENT city council approved a former councillor’s planning application in three days but took four months to get around to a resident’s demolition application.

John Little, publican of Leederville’s Fibber McGee’s, was a councillor from 1995 to 1997 and is a close confidante and political ally of former mayor Nick Catania.

On June 7 he applied for an outdoor eating area at his new Beaufort Street eatery. The application was swiftly processed by staff in time for consideration at the June 11 council meeting as a late item, where it was unanimously approved.

CEO John Giorgi declared he’d had no input into the item, “other than [to] request the director planning services to prepare a report for the council consideration on tonight’s agenda, at the request of a council member”. He refused to disclose the identity of the “council member” who’d issued the request. He said he had “no further comments” on why the application was handled so quickly.

Mayor Alannah MacTiernan said Mr Little’s alfresco application was a relatively simple matter. Cr Josh Topelberg declared a financial interest in the item and didn’t vote because his company had supplied fitout material.

Cr Dudley Maier declared an impartiality interest—which still allows him to vote—saying Mr Little had previously distributed flyers “concerning him” at a previous council election.

Mr Little had been a vocal critic of Cr Maier and partner Sally Lake, a former councillor who’d run against Mr Catania.

At the same June 11 meeting Richard Epstein of Burt Street complained he’d lodged an application on January 30 to demolish his one-storey home and erect a two-storey house.

On May 20 his builder hadn’t heard back from council so he asked that the application go to the elected council for a decision.

When Mr Epstein’s application finally went before the council it was recommended for refusal, largely because the proposed building was too close to the street.

Councillors deferred it so Mr Epstein could rejig “the areas of non-compliance”.

by DAVID BELL

A NEW route has been added to the CAT bus circuit.

The new green route runs every eight minutes through Leederville, West Perth, past King’s Park and into the CBD.

The Public Transport Authority fast-tracked the project so it would be running in time for train disruptions caused by sinking the rail line.

Extending CAT services through Perth was one of the goals of newly elected Liberal MP Eleni Evangel.

She says it’s a good first step in easing congestion and she’s hoping to get CAT services extended north too.

“We are seeing growing numbers of commuters between Leederville and the city. Now it’s possible to jump on a green CAT into the city and back for free. This is great news for city and Leederville commuters.”

Dave and Barb were two Melbourne tourists amongst the first to take the new bus into the city. They seemed pretty happy when the Voice told them they didn’t need to buy a ticket. About eight million trips are taken on CAT buses every year.

by DAVID BELL

“TAKE a break” and “work from home” are among the Public Transport Authority’s helpful suggestions for commuters as it temporarily shuts down train lines so it can sink them below ground.

The entire Fremantle line will shut from July 12–17 and again July 31 to August 4. Bits of Midland, Joondalup, Armadale and Thornlie will also be down for days. The shutdown includes the July 14 derby weekend where 43,500 people will pack Subi Oval for the Eagles v Dockers game.

“Too often we see the train service to Fremantle interrupted without much warning or thought given to the social and economic impact,” says Fremantle deputy mayor and Dockers fan Josh Wilson.

“Surely it’s not that hard to consult better on the timing of these interruptions. Or is it a cunning Eagles conspiracy?”

Along with holidays and working from home the PTA says workers should try to stagger starting times, cycle, walk or car-pool.

Replacement buses will run alongside the railway lines, but commuters are warned to add 45 minutes to planned journey times.

Traffic pain is expected for motorists as thousands of train passengers take to the road.

WA main roads’ Stephanie Dahl says government agencies are doing all they can to minimise traffic snarls.

Some 300 CCTV cameras will monitor traffic and lights will be manually controlled to keep the flow running. Roadworks will continue on Mitchell Freeway but a host of other minor works has been delayed till after the railworks.

by DAVID BELL

BAYSWATER residents will pay an extra 4.5 per cent for their rates this year. Perth’s rates went up 5.1 per cent and Vincent’s 3.92.

Cr Mike Anderton says the small rise is a win for ratepayers.

“Considering the large increases in electricity and other utility costs, this is a good result for ratepayers,” he said.

The council has allocated $18.7 million of its $77.3m Budget to capital expenditure this financial year.

Major items include:

• $2.84m to maintain and improve roads and footpaths

• $2.1m for three libraries

• $1.72m for the Eric Singleton Bird Sanctuary

• $818,533 for community events such as the Avon Descent and Autumn River Festival

• $457,500 for foreshore environmental restoration

• $220,000 to upgrade playgrounds

Tony Green, president of the Bayswater City Residents’ Association, described the budget as a “mixed bag”.

“I’m disappointed priority wasn’t given to the funding of a proposed $2.4m sustainability centre at Lightning Swamp.”

by STEPHEN POLLOCK

VINCENT’S budget has been put to bed with a 3.92 per cent increase in rates.

Mayor Alannah MacTiernan says it is a modest bump given the number of big projects going ahead. “I think you’ll find that will be one of the lowest rates in Perth.”

She says significant cash is going into village upgrades—part of her election platform—with $1 million for Leederville, $260,000 for Beaufort Street and $100,000 for public art in North Perth. With the huge popularity of Hyde Park’s water playground, $385,000’s been pooled for another in either Mt Hawthorn or Leederville.

$135,000 has been set aside for a nature playground to encourage kids to scrape some knees and have some outdoorsy fun, but the location’s yet to be determined. About $200,000 is going on more trees.

“Green is good for the soul, there’s no doubt about it, but it’s an aesthetic thing and an attempt to address the heat island effect in the inner city areas,” Ms MacTiernan says.

“We’re losing a lot of trees in the private realm and as it gets hotter we’ve got to cool the place down.”

New trees recently installed as part of the Leederville spruce-up have been a hit.

“People were coming out of their shops saying ‘we love the new trees’. Just five new trees made everyone—with the exception of two people—happy.”

Ms MacTiernan says $600,000 invested into energy-saving programs will pay off over two to five years.

“Our energy costs and carbon footprint has been soaring, so this is a composite plan to reduce those costs.”

by DAVID BELL

VINCENT city councillors have voted to award themselves the maximum pay possible under the law, following a review of allowances earlier this year.

Elected members’ pay and attendance fee will rise from $10,400 (sitting fees plus IT and communications allowances) to $25,500.

Mayor Alannah MacTiernan’s sitting fee rises to $29,500, with her $60,000 mayoral allowance on top of that.

She says CEO John Giorgi had advised most other councils were doing the same thing and noted there “hadn’t been a payrise since 2005”.

Ms MacTiernan says councillors take time off paid work to fulfill council duties and the allowances soften the financial blow.

“It’s not a massive amount of money given that there hasn’t been any increase in eight years,” she says.

The all-up cost of the increases is $140,000 a year.

The salaries and allowances tribunal recommended pay levels change depending on the size and importance of councils, using four bands. Vincent—which is likely to vanish as part of the Barnett government’s amalgamation plans—is in the second band.

by DAVID BELL

A THIEF who forgot the 10 Commandments has stolen a newly planted tree from St Mary’s church in Leederville.

Church member and Vincent councillor John Pintabona says the trees had been planted by elderly church volunteers Saturday June 22. But the thief set a new world record stealing an olive sapling just two days later.

A very forgiving Father Joseph Angelo extends an olive branch to the guilty party, charitably commenting: “I don’t think it was ‘stolen’… maybe ‘taken out of curiosity’.”

He says apart from this minor hiccup the area’s been safe and quiet: “There’s no vandalism, and no disturbances… this is something unusual”.

Father Angelo says if someone needed an olive tree that badly he would have given one if asked.

by DAVID BELL

THE small bars are marching into Vincent, with three applications in various stages going before council at this week’s meeting.

Simon Psaros’ plan for a Greek tapas bar on Stirling Street was approved unanimously. It’ll close 10pm Mondays to Wednesdays, to be reviewed in a year. Crs Ros Harley and Matt Buckels had wanted to let Brika stay open to 11pm during the week.

Mr Psaros says the relatively early close will make it difficult but overall he was glad the bar was approved.

Six nearby residents had initially objected to Brika’s application, but two took the unprecedented move of attending council to withdraw their applications.

Councillors commented they’d never seen this happen before and praised Mr Psaros on his communication with locals.

The bar is next to a 24-hour McDonald’s and the Villa nightclub. Mr Psaros still has to get a licence from the notoriously prickly WA liquor department but is hoping to be up and running in November.

A bar planned for Angove Street was deferred while the applicant spends more time consulting neighbours.

A third small bar on Green Street in Mount Hawthorn is subject to a state administrative tribunal case. It was dealt with behind closed doors and the Voice was unable to get details.

Andy Freeman who runs BamBOO bar on Beaufort Street (behind Luxe) won approval for more patrons—from 150 to 153—and to stay open till 10pm Sunday to Thursday. He’d previously been required to renew his application every 12 months but councillors relented and made it permanent.

“With a zero complaint record for over three years, I think that this is fair,” Mr Freeman said. “We have proven… that we can manage this space.” He notes the bar is only opened for special events.

Councillors deleted a Stalinist requirement that would have required the venue to “carefully select the style of music” with a preference for “blues, kazz (sic), soul and orchestral music” over rock, pop and hip-hop acts.

by DAVID BELL