Monday 10 July – Sunday 16 July

TWiSK #373

Hard lesson for Council on toilet location
Tex Perkins and Fat Rubber Band @ Memo
Tiwi art @ Linden and Vivien Anderson Gallery
Trump discussed @ U3APP zoom
New Director and CEO @ JewMu

Also at Council
Council abandons opposition to Grand Prix

Plus more music, arts and community
The Milk Carton Kids @ Memo

Tuesday 11 July, 7 pm
Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan are The Milk Carton Kids, who joined forces with their delicious harmonies and intricate guitars in 2011 in their hometown of Eagle Rock, California. The shows have been getting great reviews. $65/60
Tix
Public Forum: No New Coal and Gas @ St Kilda Town Hall
Tuesday 11 July, 6.30 pm – 8 pm
An Australia Institute forum with speakers Adam Bandt, Kavita Naidu and Richard Denniss plus late inclusions via video Josh Burns MP and Zoe Daniel MP. 
RSVP essential 
The Moth Melbourne GrandSLAM Championship @ National
Wednesday 12 July, 7:30pm
Story telling – a battle of wits and words – fierce, hilarious, heart breaking and all points between. $44
Tix

Pete Campbell @ George Lane
Thursday 13 July, 7 pm – 11 pm
Campbell’s blend of folk, blues and country aligns him with modern Americana.
Tix
Tex Perkins & The Fat Rubber Band @ Memo
Friday 14 July, 7 pm
Tex Perkins and The Fat Rubber Band return after a successful 26-date European run, offering fans a ‘Swamp Meet’ treat with good friend & special guest Kim Salmon kicking off the night with his solo show, Rooted. $60
Tix
Carl Barron: Skating Rink for Flies @ Palais
Friday 14 July and Saturday 15 July
“Voted number one comedian two years running, come along and see Carl’s brand new show – Skating Rink for Flies. A night where he ponders things we all think about but never mention. Things like plastic bags, peanut butter and the possible emotions of an ant.” Close to sold out.
Tix

Tiwi Art And Culture With Judith Ryan @ Linden
Saturday 15 July, 1 pm -2 pm
A special lecture with Judith Ryan, renowned Indigenous Art expert and curator, exploring Tiwi art and culture in relation to Johnathon World Peace Bush’s current exhibition Everything that came before makes the present. Free
Info
The Commitments Revue @ George Lane
Friday 14 July, 7 pm – 11 pm
Memphis to Melbourne a Commitments Revue, the boys from Blues Roulette have put a new show together, rooted in the classic film “The Commitments”.
Tix 
Warnarringa Japarra Amintiya Japalinga – Sun, Moon & Stars @ Vivien Anderson Gallery
Closes Saturday 15 July, Tuesday – Friday, 11 am – 5 pm; Saturday 12 – 4 pm
The astounding beauty of the intergenerational exhibition of Tiwi artists Timothy Cook, Conrad Tipungwuti and Walter Brooks from Jilamara Arts & Crafts, NT concludes on Saturday. Don’t miss the opportunity to view the mythic immensity of the Tiwi Dreamings.
Info
Saturday Seminar – Trump’s Australia @ U3APP zoom seminar
Saturday 15 July, 2.30 – 3.30 pm
The latest book by Bruce Wolpe, Trump’s Australia, will be the focus of this U3APP seminar.
Join a conversation between Bruce Wolpe and Jim Walter canvassing key issues in the book and most tellingly what a Trump victory might mean for Australia.
Jim Walter is emeritus professor of politics at Monash University and an active member of Port Phillip U3A.
Register at www.u3app.org.au
Click on “public events” in the menu.
Cut & Pasted @ Brightspace
Opening Saturday 15 July, 3 pm – 5 pm
Until Saturday 22 July
Exhibition – activities – workshops – swap meet
www.brightspace.com.au/
8 Martin Street
Wed – Fri (11 am – 5 pm); Sat (12 pm -4 pm)

Masoud Sadeghloo @ National
Saturday 15 July, 8 pm – 11 pm
Persian/Iranian Dance/Electronic music $89 +
Tix
Silent movie and music @ Holy Trinity
Saturday 15 July, 7 pm start
Lights, camera, music. Enjoy Buster Keaton silent classic The General (1926) accompanied by by David Johnson, OAM, on the Fincham pipe organ at Holy Trinity Balaclava & Elwood Anglican Church. $20
Tix 
175 Chapel Street


Gary Pinto presents: Sam Cooke, The Music @ Memo
Saturday 15 July, 7 pm
Multi-platinum Australian soul and R&B artist Gary Pinto brings his love and respect of Sam Cooke to life. $60
Tix | YouTube 
Earthcare Tea Tree Planting @ Elwood
Sunday 16 June, 10 am
Join with Earthcare for a community planting event in the beautiful Elwood Tea Tree.
Bring a hat, sunblock, water and your own gardening gloves. Free and fun
More info 
Shamaizadeh @ National
Sunday 16 July, 8 pm
Iran’s pop music maestro live in concert. $110
Tix
Nature’s Sanctuary – A Solo Exhibition by Cheryle Bannon @ Space2b
Until 29 July
Cheryle Bannon creates whimsical and soulful artworks that are visual stories of connection with nature. Discover the exquisite allure of her one-of-a-kind art jewelry, meticulously crafted with hand-painted clay and embellishments.
More info 
144 Chapel St, St Kilda
Shhh @ Red Stitch
Until 16 July
Fast tracked from the US, this new work by Clare Barron is a semi-autobiographical attempt to provide a measure of clarity about painful experiences. Described by Red Stitch as a challenging exploration of pain, pleasure, freedom and disappointment, and sisterhood.
Tix

Noè Harsel is JewMu’s new Director and CEO

Last week, the Jewish Museum announced that Acting Director Noè Harsel has been appointed to continue as Director and CEO.
Noè has been Head of Brand & Partnerships at the Museum for a number of years after stints at local cultural institutions including ANAM and Monash University.
She describes herself as a communications professional, collaborative leader, creative producer & cultural storyteller.
Noè, who is biracial & Jewish, said she was excited to continue working with the Museum’s Board, team & volunteers as we question what it means to be Jewish-Australians in 2023 & have collaborative conversations with other communities.
More info 

Council electoral structure review info session  @ VEC online
Monday 17 July, noon
Tuesday 18 July, 6 pm
From next election, Port Phillip Councillors will be elected to single-councillor wards. There may be a change in the number of councillors.
An online information session being held on Microsoft Teams. You can join from your computer or phone. The link and phone number to join will be available 30 minutes before the start time.
Scope of review
“Under Victoria’s Local Government Act 2020, Port Phillip City Council must now have a single-councillor ward electoral structure.
The Minister for Local Government has appointed an electoral representation advisory panel to conduct an electoral structure review of the council. The panel will advise the Minister on the most appropriate single-councillor ward structure for Port Phillip City Council.
The panel is looking at:
• the appropriate number of councillors and wards
• the location of ward boundaries
• appropriate ward names.”
More info

Local and independent coverage
of Council news and decisions

Council votes no to Fitzroy Street public toilet
Leaves decision to next council

A concerted campaign by the St Kilda Park Primary School community has prompted Council to abandon plans for a public toilet on Fitzroy Street for the foreseeable future.
The School opposed the location because of fears of antisocial behaviour.
Council had previously chosen the controversial location despite local opposition after a 15-year search for an acceptable site.
Well organised, well-placed opposition
Before the Council vote  last Wednesday, Council heard 21 community submissions mostly opposing the location, including State MPs Nina Taylor and James Newbury. A significant crowd also attended the meeting to express their vehement opposition to the location near the primary school.
Tempers on edge
The motion to halt the toilet was proposed by Cr Rhonda Clark and seconded by Cr Robbie Nyaguy but they were hardly on the same page with Cr Nyaguy being required to withdraw negative comments about Cr Clark.
Clearly, the toilet debate had divided councillors with tricky details of behind-the-scenes divisions laid bare.
‘Hospital pass’ to next Council
The decision not only halted the Fitzroy Street toilet but ruled out consideration of alternate locations until 2025 – pushing it into the term of the next Council.
Hardly surprising and true to form since successive councils have done nothing about a new public toilet on Fitzroy Street since promising to build one in 2007 (yes 16 years ago).
Passionate debate
A 2022 decision to finally construct the toilet near the School was opposed at the time by Cr Cunsolo, Clark and Sirakoff with Cr Crawford abstaining but approved by Greens Crs Copsey and Baxter, Labor’s Cr Martin and Liberal aligned Crs Pearl and Bond.
The election of Cr Nyaguy replacing Cr Copsey (who left to enter parliament) prompted a rethink behind the scenes.
Cr Nyaguy said the more he looked at the location, the more concerned he grew.
Cr Crawford also had become concerned that the site was “no good for anybody.”
The votes of Crs Nyaguy and Crawford swung the vote away from the toilet.
More a problem than a solution
Effectively the toilet had become a ‘lightening rod’ for public concern about anti-social behaviour and symbolic of the problem rather than a solution.
Especially since Council public toilets are closed at night, the toilet would have a marginal effect on public urination.
Yet public toilets are needed
But four councillors remained firm in their choice of location arguing that public toilets were an important community asset and not the cause of anti-social behaviour.
Cr Bond read correspondence from a resident who needed to use public facilities because of a health condition. “If Fitzroy Street is too unsafe for a public toilet, then the problem is not the toilet,’ he said.
Cr Pearl took a swipe at politicians for cherry picking issues and not doing their bit to make the area safer by proving more State resources.
While Cr Baxter said demonising public toilets was misdirected. “That assumes that public toilets attract criminal activity, and that’s not necessarily true,” he said.
For the record, go to the recording
The motion to stop the toilet was carried 5-4, as follows:
FOR: Crs Crawford, Sirakoff, Clark, Nyaguy and Cunsolo
AGAINST: Crs Baxter, Bond, Martin and Pearl
[TWiSK recommends listening to recording of meeting. Click here, then start a 1:20 minutes for a fascinating hour] 

Opposition to Grand Prix abandoned

Council has voted to abandon its longstanding opposition to the location of the Grand Prix at Albert Park.
Council now “acknowledges the opportunities that the holding of the Australian Formula One Grand Prix in Albert Park presents for the City of Port Phillip’s local economy and encourages Officers to work with the relevant stakeholders to capitalise on these opportunities.”
Ironically, and perhaps hypocritically, the revised stance was approved at the same meeting that reaffirmed the Council’s Act and Adapt Review & Climate Emergency Action Plan.
For the record
The votes to capitalise on the Grand Prix and revoke opposition were:
FOR: Crs Bond, Sirakoff, Pearl, Clark and Cunsolo
AGAINST: Crs Baxter, Crawford, Martin and NyaguyGreg Day
Happy to chat anytime 0418 345 829
Content suggestions and community questions are always welcome.
gday@archives.gdaystkilda.com.au
Recent editions
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Monday 19 June – Sunday 25 June
This Week in St Kilda respectfully acknowledges the Traditional Owners of this land, the people of the Kulin Nations. We pay our respect to their Elders, past and present. We acknowledge and uphold their continuing relationship to this land.

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