TWiSK #346

Postcard show delights @ Linden
ANAM closer to SM Town Hall lease
New CEO at Council is inside pick
Black Sorrows @ Memo
Opera Christmas @ Palais
Three new MLC’s declared

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Postcard Show @ Linden
Tuesday – Sundays, 11 am – 4 pm (Closed public holidays)
Eclectic, kooky, fun and fabulous, or just plain curious. This is democratic art on a small scale but grand gathering. Free.
See and buy the art online
TWiSK is a sponsor of the Linden Postcard Show
Winner of The Best of St Kilda 
(Pictured)
Lee-Ann Orton, I brought my first baby home to this AirBnb and it never quite looked like this again, 2022, Oil and pencil on Birch.
Image courtesy of the artist.
Full list of prize winners
Abstract Encouragement Award
Aylsa McHugh #481
The Henry: Best Abstract Award
Di Quick #580
Artist Encouragement Award
Carolina Arsenii #31
Art Meets Science Award
Susan Mountford #502
Best Landscape in Show
Lana Daubermann #198
Best of St Kilda
Lee-Ann Orton #536
Best Photographic Work
Kirsten Bresciani #106
Old Award
Susan Morris #498
New Award
Katharine Symons #704 & Anthony Breach #104
Best Portrait in Show
Paul Quick #579
Best Work on Paper
Susan Mountford #503
Best Domestic Space
Aylsa McHugh #481
Best Urban Space
Andrew Tan #709
First Nations Award
Leslie Stanley #685
Vic Opera’s A Christmas Carol @ Palais
Wednesday 14 December – Saturday 17 December, 7.30 pm + 1 pm Saturday
Victorian Opera’s new adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. $39+
Tix

8 Ball Aitken @ George Lane
Thursday 15 December, 7 pm – 11 pm
8 Ball Aitken has toured the world for more than a decade performing his swampy-blues-rock across twenty countries to date.
Tix

The Black Sorrows Christmas Show @ Memo
Friday 16 December, 7 pm
Local favourites with an incredible sound w/ guests CJ Commerford & The Supertones. $60/45
Tix

Henry Wagons – An Old Fashioned ‘Christmas’ @ George Lane
Friday 16 December, 7 pm – 11 pm
Let Henry guide you through an evening of songs and stories that have almost nothing to do with Christmas.
Tix

Frankie J Holden and Wilbur Wilde – Rockin’ Xmas @ Memo
Saturday 17 December, 7 pm
Frankie J. Holden, Wilbur Wilde and The Troublemakers – there will be trouble indeed. $55/$40
Tix

The Muppet Christmas Carol & The Nightmare Before Christmas @ Astor
Sunday 18 December, 2 pm
Big screen Christmas double feature
www.astortheatre.net.au

A Very Big Band Christmas @ Memo
Sunday 18 December, 3 pm
Top line-up featuring the Minnie Hill Big Band and starring the very classy Belinda Parsons, Nina Ferro and Fem Belling. This year’s special guest is Matt Hetherington. $69/$45
Tix
Service of Nine Lessons and Carols @ Christ Church
Sunday 18 December, 4 pm
Join with family and friends for the Choir of Church Music and other singers.
Later in the festive season there will be Christmas Eve Mass at 9 pm and Christmas Eucharist at 9 am on 25 December.

Rod Paine & The Fulltime Lovers + Louis King & The Liars Klub @ George Lane
Sunday 18 December, 4 pm – 8 pm
Great arvo of entertainment – Lovers and Liars together – who’d have thunk it!
Tix

Sunday Blues: The Breadmakers @ Espy
Sunday 18 December, 6 pm – 9 pm
Free.

Harry Manx (Can) – Final Australian Show @ Memo
Monday 19 December, 7 pm
Canadian Harry Manx has been performing at Byron Bay Bluesfest, Port Fairy Folk Festival, Blue Mountains Music Festival, Caloundra Music Festival and Woodford as well as shows all over the country. $59/$49
Tix

A Reggae Christmas with Jahrukus & guests @ Memo
Thursday 22 December, 7 pm
JAHRUKUS are a soulful roots reggae collective who pay homage to their early influences of Bob Marley & The Wailers, Jimmy Cliff, Third World and Toots & The Maytals, whilst forging their own musical identity. $59
Tix

Hurry …

A Simple Act of Kindness @ Red Stitch
Until Sunday 18 December
A Simple Act of Kindness is a comedy for a generation who’ve been locked down with the ones we… love?
Directed by award-winning director, writer and actor, Peter Houghton, this show has been getting great reviews – 4 stars in The Age. Cast includes Khisraw Jones-Shukoor, Joe Petruzzi and Sarah Sutherland, and guest artist Lou Wall. $57 – $15
Tix
Naomi Hobson – Adolescent Wonderland @ Vivien Anderson Gallery
Until 17 December
Naomi Hobson’s Adolescent Wonderland depicts young Aboriginal people from her community of Coen on Cape York Peninsula. “I want people to see who our youth really are: fun, playful, smart, savvy, proud, adventurous and witty.” – Naomi Hobson
vivienandersongallery.com
284 — 290 St Kilda Road
The Merry Wives of Windsor @ St Kilda Botanical Gardens
Until Saturday 24 December (Wednesday – Sunday)
7 pm daily + Saturdays and Sundays 3 pm
Melbourne Shakespeare Company will be performing their brand-new musical production of The Merry Wives of Windsor in the Rose Garden at the St Kilda Botanical Gardens.
melbourneshakespeare.com

NYE

Melbourne Ska Orchestra @ Memo
Saturday 31 December, 8 pm
Comprising of over 20 members, directed by the energetic and charismatic Nicky Bomba (John Butler Trio, Bomba, Bustamento), the orchestra takes you on a journey of fun, danger, ramshackle fun and hipswaying rhythms to shake off the year. Boomshakalaka! $89 / $59
Tix

NYE @ George Lane
The Peptides, Kim Volkman & The Whiskey Priests and Nicky Del Rey’s ‘Surf & Turf’.
Tix

Book for January

Katie Noonan presents “Joni Mitchell’s Blue 50th Anniversary” @ Memo
Friday 6 January, 7 pm
Celebrated Queensland artist Katie Noonan will be presenting Joni Mitchell’s Blue accompanied by guitar virtuoso Ben Hauptmann. $65
Tix

It’s Prine Time: The Lyrical Genius of John Prine @ Memo
Wednesday 11 January, 6.30 pm
Sadly lost to COVID, John Prine’s songs live on. Performed by Australian folk singer Mike McClellan, Melbourne songstress Suzannah Espie, and an all-star band led by Music Director, Lachlan Bryan. $65/$55
Tix
Alan Cumming @ Palais
Saturday 14 January
Olivier and Tony Award-winning Scottish/American actor, author and cabaret icon Alan Cumming. The Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominee brings his stunning new production Alan Cumming Is Not Acting His Age to audiences Melbourne in January 2023. $79
TixDaniel Howell @ Palais
Wednesday 18 January
YouTube comedian Daniel Howell is back – and he’s stressed, depressingly dressed and on a quest to live his best life before the inevitable apocalypse arrives. $89
Tix
Tom Segura @ Palais
Friday 27 January – Saturday 28 January, two shows per night
Actor/Comedian/Writer Tom Segura is best known for his Netflix specials. $89
Tix
GlamourPussy & The Hip Replacements @ Alex Theatre
Sunday 29 January, 3 pm
Come celebrate Generation Gorgeous with the Blue Rinse Princess, GlamourPussy! Young at heart – slightly older in other places, GlamourPussy & the Hip Replacements present a joyful cabaret of glamour & decay. Dress code: Mutton dressed as glam. $39/$35
Tix
midsumma @ Pride
21 January – 12 February 
See midsumma program
Pride March
Sunday 5 February 

St Kilda Festival returns to big day format @ Sunday 19 February
www.stkildafestival.com.auBuild your own hamper @ Space2b
Support local, handmade & sustainable. Get crafty and make your gift personal by building your own hamper with a range of Space2b products.
DIY Hamper Now 

A TWiSK rundown of local election results

Albert Park
Nina Taylor ALP elected

The ALP’s Nina Taylor was comfortably elected with a two-party preference vote of 61% over the Liberals Lauren Sherson who received around 39%.
In the end it was a three-candidate race, with independents and minor parties polling below 6% – the highest being independent Georgie Dragwidge just under 6%.
After a hopelessly late start, the Greens Kim Samiotis with 21% failed to outpoll the Liberals Lauren Sherson who reached 30% on primaries.
Nina Taylor’s election result showed a small 2% swing away from the ALP’s result in 2014.
VEC

Brighton
James Newbury Liberal re-elected

Liberal James Newbury was comfortably re-elected despite a concerted push by two-former local mayors and the Greens. In the end, James received nearly a 4% swing to him, delivering the majority after the distribution of the smaller polling candidates.
In the primaries, Felicity Frederico reached under 10%, while Greens Sarah Dekiere reached nearly 14% and Labor’s Louise Crawford earned about 25%.
Although not facing a ‘real Teal’, Newbury comfortably fought off the challenge despite momentum generated by the victory of Zoe Daniel, the Teal candidate in overlapping seat of Federal Goldstein.
VEC 

Caulfield
David Southwick Liberal re-elected

Liberal David Southwick was re-elected with a 2% swing towards him from a field that included a swag of candidates recognised in the Jewish community. Defending the most marginal Liberal seat after the so-called Dan-Slide in 2018, Southwick fought off stiff opposition from Teal backed Jewish Feminist Nomi Kaltmann who ultimately polled just 6%, Greens Rachel Iampolski who polled 16% and Labor’s Lior Harel who earned 28%.
Southwick will be well pleased with this result given the momentum generated by the victory of Zoe Daniel, the Teal candidate in overlapping seat of Federal Goldstein, and rising Green inner city support.
VEC 

Prahran
Sam Hibbins Greens re-elected

Sam Hibbins enjoyed a comfortable result after narrow wins in 2014 against incumbent Liberal Clem Newton-Brown and a close race with Liberal rising star Katie Allen in 2018. Hibbens outpolled the other parties on primaries with 36% compared to the Liberals Mathew Lucas on 31% and Labors Wesa Chau on 27%.
VEC 

Upper house official results 
Updated 14 December.
Congratulations to the successful candidates declared by the VEC computer on Wednesday 14 December>
David Davis and Georgie Crozier (Liberal), John Berger and Ryan Batchelor (Labor), Katherine Copsey (Greens).
Next week we’ll look at our new MLCs
Who are they? Do they live in the electorate? Where will there offices be?

New Council CEO was the interim CEO

After a searching ‘far and wide’, the councillors have chosen acting Chief Executive Officer Chris Carroll as their new CEO for five years.
Mr Carroll was previously the Council’s General Manager Customer, Operations and Infrastructure after joining in 2014.
Amongst the many challenges facing Council and Mr Carroll will be staff morale and high turn-over which reached double the targeted rate under the previous CEO Peter Smith.
Informed sources (not involved in the selection) told TWiSK that Mr Carroll was a quiet achiever who would probably be a popular choice amongst staff and officers.
“His style will not be exactly ‘old school separation of powers’, but with the CEO being the main contact between councillors and the staff,” the source speculated.
Mr Carroll has a background in consulting with an MBA. Out of the office, he has a passion for athletics and rugby.
‘Red crosses’ show the task ahead
The October CEO report from Mr Carroll gives an insight into some of challenges ahead.
While the report shows that many targets are being meet, the dreaded ‘red cross’ indicating performance below expectations appears next to some vital metrics, including:
Proportion of capital projects on target 62% (target >80%)
Proportion of operating projects on target 71% (target >80%).
Staff turnover is one-in-five per annum
Alarmingly, CEO reports have stopped reporting staff turn-over which hovered around a 20% churn rate per annum.
FYI in the latest annual report, staff turnover was 20% (page 173). Let’s hope that Mr Carroll will reinstate this in the monthly reporting.

South Melbourne ANAM lease moves to community consultation 
Council will start community consultation after reaching an ‘outcome’ in negotiations with the Australian National Music Academy for a 35 year + lease for the South Melbourne Town Hall.
In summary, Council will complete planned works to bring the Town Hall to a basic, tenantable condition. Then ANAM will complete $20.5M in restoration and upgrade works in addition to it’s tenant specific fit out. This will be the start of a 35 year lease.
Council will still have access for council meetings and citizenship ceremonies (and a service counter). ANAM will pay an annual rent less significant discount ($550K less $300K in possible discounts).
This is a big deal, but there was no media release from Council. The media was left to ANAM’s Director Nick Bailey. Concerning.
Tricky timing for consultation
With the traditional silly season and holiday exodus, a meaningful consultation in the mooted 6 weeks (reference The Age) seems optimistic.
Next week in TWiSK
We will invite a range of contributors to submit 150 words on the Council’s consultation question:
“Are there any reasons why a lease should or should not proceed?”
Offer your contribution here
Read the Council report hereGreg Day
Happy to chat anytime 0418 345 829
Content suggestions and community questions are always welcome.
gday@archives.gdaystkilda.com.au
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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.

TWiSK is always free, proudly independent and totally self-funded.
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