Perth Voice Interactive

AN Inglewood eatery has attracted online ire for serving foie gras, a product made by force-feeding ducks and geese until their livers expand up to 10 times their normal size and become so fatty they can’t function.

Miss Kitty’s Saloon serves foie gras on its poutine, a Canadian dish made from chips, brown gravy and cheese curds.

Daniel Scott spotted foie gras on the menu and took to Facebook to say: “Warning animal lovers please avoid Miss Kitty’s in Inglewood who are promoting animal cruelty with their menu choices!”

Two other reviews of Miss Kitty’s were posted on Urban Spoon decrying the practice, one with similar wording to Mr Scott’s Facebook post.

Maylands Labor MP Lisa Baker says, “this practice is rightly banned in Australia—force-feeding would be deemed cruel under WA state legislation.

“Unhappily [foie gras] continues to be imported.

“I’m sure if diners realised the terrible suffering caused they would never order it.”

In a position statement the RSCPA says it is, “opposed to the sale and consumption of foie gras as its method of production seriously jeopardises the welfare of ducks and geese.

“The birds’ beaks are forced open, a tube is passed down the throat, and grain is forced into their stomach under pressure.

“Birds are fed far more than they would choose to eat naturally, and the feed is deliberately deficient in basic nutrients.”

It says the birds’ throats can be damaged and the poor diet leads to easily-fractured bones. The birds can have trouble moving and breathing due to their huge liver.

“If you see foie gras for sale or on a restaurant menu and you share the RSPCA’s concerns over its production, please make your views known.”

Miss Kitty’s Iain Lawless says, “this guy (Mr Scott) needs to get his facts straight because they are treated as well as any other animal, eg chicken, cow, lamb etcetera before slaughter.

“They are humanely killed and we are not doing anything illegal here.

“If he doesn’t believe in it, that is his decision not to eat it but we are not the only place that serves this and do not appreciate him posting on Facebook ‘avoid Miss Kitty’s because of this’.”

P’tite Ardois, another foodie joint in Voiceland, also serves foie gras (and copped a serve in a recent Voice food review about the practice).

by DAVID BELL

PERTH Liberal candidate Darryl Moore says he “doesn’t care” who he faces at the September federal election.

Long-time Labor MP and defence minister Stephen Smith is retiring, with Vincent mayor Alannah MacTiernan odds-on at the time of going to press to be pre-selected in the battle to retain the seat.

Mr Moore refused to be drawn on whether he thought his chances of victory had improved with Mr Smith’s unexpected retirement.

“For many locals it is disappointing that the timing of Mr Smith’s departure coincides with yet another ugly period in this divided and dysfunctional Labor government’s history,” he says.

“My job as the Liberal candidate for Perth remains the same: I will be working hard every single day to meet as many locals as I can, listen to the issues that are important to them and share the Liberals’ positive plan to deliver a strong, prosperous economy and a safe and secure Australia.

“I ask the people of Perth to join with me, to vote Liberal and to end Labor’s mess.”

Ms MacTiernan, a former state Labor planning minister who ran for federal Labor in Liberal-held Canning in 2010, told the Voice, “this is a huge decision and I haven’t made up my mind yet”.

“I’m not playing games, Stephen” she told the Voice.

Party insiders concede the preselection is Ms MacTiernan’s if she wants it, with her “star power” regarded as vital to Labor’s chances of keeping the seat.

Federal Perth takes in the state seat of Perth and portions of the state seats of Mt Lawley and Maylands, which all swung strongly to the Liberals in March.

Before Julia Gillard’s loss of the Labor leadership the party feared the seat—on 5.9 per cent—was all-but lost.

Kevin Rudd’s return to the prime ministership has lifted Labor sails and party insiders believe Ms MacTiernan is its best chance to see off the Liberals’ challenge.

Mr Smith, a former WA Labor state secretary and adviser to Paul Keating, will personally direct the campaign of his successor.

“My favourite candidate? My favourite candidate for ALP preselection for the federal seat of Perth will be the candidate who the party chooses,” the unflappable Mr Smith said.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK

FOUR months after the state election and John Hyde is still exhorting locals to vote for him, with billboards reminding locals of somebody they used to know.

After losing his seat to Liberal Eleni Evangel, the former Labor MP’s been spending time in Asia as an advisor to the Asian Forums on Population and Development and he also sits on the board of the Global Organisation of Parliamentarians against Corruption.

In the days after losing the election he acknowledged the demographics of the electorate had changed but he predicted they would swing back in 2017.

His website still refers to him as the MP for Perth and gives his office address as 446 William Street, which Ms Evangel has since moved into (though she’s planning a move to the more residential part of her electorate). We tried to get in touch with Mr Hyde to put the questions to him but we didn’t hear back, though he did have time this week to continue his record as one of WA’s most prolific (ex) politician Tweeters, jumping online to congratulate WA Labor on building two desal plants in previous terms.

by DAVID BELL

PLANS for a new tattoo studio in Yokine have met with opposition from Stirling residents who fear “fire bombs” and bikies.

Fifteen objections were lodged against the proposed studio on Michael Street, with locals worried about the potential for anti-social behaviour in nearby Knight Avenue reserve and surrounding streets.

“I believe that tattoo studios are a target for violence and fire bombs and the use could attract bikies and an unsavoury element to this area,” one local told the council.

“Tattoo Studios have no place in residential areas.”

Another said: “There has already been drug-related incidents involving police in the local area recently and I feel that having a tattoo studio is only going to encourage more of this type of problem.”

A local told the Voice the building had previously been a fish and chip shop and was allegedly used as a drop-off for drugs.

He played down the “scare-mongering” over the proposed tatt parlour. “There used to be a bit of trouble in the Knight Avenue reserve with drugs and drinking in the past, but it’s largely died down in recent years.

“I can’t see people attending the tattoo parlour hanging around and causing problems—there’s nothing much around here. The real problem is the oldies who let their dogs shit all over the reserve every day.”

Improving lighting and security at the reserve would be better ways to curb yobs, he said.

Another objector noted the vast majority of people living in the area were over 60 and a tattoo parlour was of no value to the local area.

Stirling council staff said they couldn’t block the parlour on the grounds of potential anti-social behaviour, and recommended approval.

The council will vote later this month.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK

THE Mt Lawley Society is going back to the future with a heritage renovator website. http://www.waheritagerenovator.com.au is the first forum dedicated to renovating heritage houses in WA.

Are the homeless next?
I WOULD like to make the following comments regarding the “name and shame” website created by the City of Vincent (Voice, June 29, 2013).
I live in the area and have no objection to streetwalkers, people soliciting or, quite frankly, to people going for it hell-for-leather on the median strip as I drive past.
Some people are far too uptight and God knows there is little enough to do of an evening in Perth!
Vincent’s decision to take the law into its own hands is of concern. Parliament has ascribed penalties for particular offences and the police should be involved if criminal activity is taking place.
The council has no authority to issue penalties for crimes committed under the criminal code by adding its own to convicted kerb-crawlers.
Unlike many other crimes, such as drink-driving, this one does not even threaten lives. The council’s actions will reduce expedient resolutions in court as there is now no incentive to plead guilty and have the matter resolved, which will increase costs to the public by cluttering our justice system.
It will embarrass and defame innocent family members, including children at school by having them tarnished with the reputation by association. Although this information is freely available, the council is going out of its way to increase the harm done to families at the behest of residents who seem unaware they do not own the streets nor get to decide who uses them nor for what purpose.
Find another sport. Moral grandstanding is unbecoming and likely to bite back.
No doubt the council’s next move will be to name and shame the homeless in retaliation for ruining the streetscape.
Guy Varndell
Barnett St, North Perth

Knocking Shop no secret
835 Beaufort Street Inglewood (Voice, June 29, 2013) has always been a brothel. It was built for that purpose. Eight bedrooms. It has operated unopposed for many years.
Stirling council has known from the beginning it was a brothel. It has never been a massage parlour. It is ludicrous to suggest it has taken this long for council to act saying it believes the premises were being used for illegal prostitution.
And that some residents had complained. There is a real possibility that illegal immigration was involved.
Who is the owner? I asked the real estate agent and was told that under no circumstances would they give me the owner’s name. And why is the WA government putting the property on the market? Does the WA government own it?
The mayor says other illegal operators will take note. No, they won’t. There are numerous brothels across the metropolitan area and the cash registers are ringing.
Where is the owner? Has the owner paid or will the owner pay the $80,000 fine? Excellent outcome? Owner locks the gates and walks away?
Rangers bust their way in and search the joint. Would anybody owning a property worth millions simply walk away and leave a fortune behind? Will there be any further investigation of this matter?
I have gotten zero information from anybody. Before long the place will be vandalised and squatted in most likely. You know what happens to anything abandoned.
Raymond Conder
Central Ave, Inglewood

Blokeography
TO pick up from “They’re both winners” (Voice, June 29, 2013), ruthless editing would prevent any memoirs of the former First Bloke out-selling those of his partner, our most immediate former PM Julia Gillard.
In surmising further, one of Tim Mathieson’s “can’t wait” readers overseas would surely be the next most likely First Bloke, American past-president, Bill Clinton.
Impatience on his part would be understandable. Bill being as keen as anyone else might be for any tips from Tim. Such tips relevant in avoiding the multitude of pitfalls inherent to such a rare—even unique for Bill—predicament.
Bill would also benefit, of course, from his actually being long-time married to the next president Clinton, were good fortune of time and tide thus to endow Hillary.
You can do it, Tim. Should you need a ghost, well…
Charlie Benskin
Kingston St, Nedlands

Distortory
IN relation to the historical period discussed in your article (“Monty Bible on display,” Voice, June 22, 2013) are you aware of Australia Post’s controversial commemoration of the Battle of Beersheba in 1917 in a joint issue with Israel—apparently disregarding the historical fact Israel did not exist in those days?
This stamp issue ignores the 4000-strong population of Palestinians who once lived in Beersheeba, fought along with the Australian 4th Light Horse Brigade in driving out the Turks and were themselves driven out when in 1948 Israel was created.
This Orwellian distortion of our history treats Australia’s activities in the Middle East campaign as a mere opportunity to elevate Israel’s image through an imagined but patently false association with our country’s forces. It insults the true memory of our soldiers, the Palestinians and the intelligence of anyone who values the truth.
Vincent Sammut
Franklin St, Leederville

State and local government are working to improve rail crossing safety in Bayswater, following a close shave at Caledonian Avenue two months ago.

A man in his 80s escaped uninjured after his car was hit by a train at the Maylands rail crossing in April.

The train clipped the rear of his car and spun it 90 degrees.

The man had reportedly driven around the barrier by accident.

This week, Bayswater city council appointed a road manager to liase with the public transport authority and WA Main Roads to manage safety at the Caledonian Avenue and Moojebing Street rail crossings.

An audit of Bayswater crossings undertaken by the PTA this year revealed two “minor issues”.

“A rail crossing ahead sign was obscured by tree branches at the Caledonian crossing, which has since been pruned,” says mayor Terry Kenyon.

“A portion of road surface was undulating at the Moojebing rail crossing, which is programmed to be rectified in July.”

Cr Kenyon adds the formal agreement will improve safety, clarifying who’s responsible for different sections of the crossing.

Cr Chris Cornish says he’d like to remove the Caledonian crossing altogether: “Ideally I would like to see an underpass instead of a rail crossing as this would not only alleviate traffic congestion on the 3rd and 7th Avenue bridges, but would also make our roads safer.”

Cr Sonia Turkington says the Caledonian crossing is fed traffic from the busy Railway Parade and Whatley Crescent.

“There is also a major bike and pedestrian path which crosses the intersection as well, so motorists need to be extremely alert,” she says.

“It can be very confusing for the road and footpath users, so I hope a safer system is developed.”

The road manager’s duties will include reporting damage, maintaining road surface and line of sight, and advise of removal of vegetation or spraying programs at the crossings.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK