TWiSK #407
Melbourne International Comedy Festival kicks off @ Palais
Comedy bar crawls every weekends in April
Rachel Berger is Comedy Gold @ National
Eric Nam: K-Pop man @ Palais
Electric Beach @ South Beach
The Kevin Borich Express @ George Lane
and more …
Greens announce first of nine candidates
Cr Tim Baxter to contest St Kilda Ward
Waste report remains confidential
Rate freeze bid fails
“Why Can’t Women be like Men?” Free Table Reading @ Alex Theatre
Monday 25 March, 7 pm – 9 pm
An exclusive glimpse into the making of “Why Can’t Women be like Men?” by Grazia Marin as part of their developmental reading series.
Experience the magic as a group of talented actors convene in the cozy confines of the Alex Lounge to bring this new work to life for the very first time.
Following the reading, you can engage in an enriching dialogue about the work, offering your perspectives and invaluable feedback..
Reserve Spot Now
Comedy Club @ Espy
Monday 25 March, 7 pm
It’s free, and maybe funny! Every Monday.
Info
Comedy Festival Opening Night @ Palais
Wednesday 27 March
The Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s Opening Night Comedy Allstars Supershow
Sold out
Franki Kaneur @ Espy Basement
Thursday 28 March, 7.30 pm
Free
Jayda Wilson: Neva-gu dyugurpa @ Linden Projects Space
Exhibition 28 March to 28 April 2024
Opening Thursday 28 March, 6 PM to 8 PM
Jayda Wilson is a proud Gugada and Wirangu artist living and working on unceded Kaurna Yarta. Wilson’s practice is a journey to reclaiming their mother tongue through the (re)telling of family history with their visual practice acting as a site for (re)memory and (re)archiving.
Neva-gu dyugurpa, From West Coast to City Centre brings together multiple works that explore the (re)telling of family history through archival material found locally in South Australia and internationally in Osaka, Japan. These documents of Jayda Wilson’s mama-gu mama-gu ngundyu Neva Wilson (b.1934 – passed. 2016), Wilson explores ideologies of blood memory and sovereignty through sound, photography and print.
Info
The Linden Projects Space is not wheelchair accessible
The Comedy Crawl: St Kilda (UK) @ Ellora (the first stop)
Friday 29 March and then weekends until 21 April, 1.30 pm start
Five comedians. Four bars. The most hilarious pub crawl in town…
Ellora (the first stop) will be open from 1:30pm. $40.50
Tix
The Kevin Borich Express @ George Lane
Friday 29 March, 7 pm – 11 pm
Almost sold out
Tix
The Blues Brothers @ Astor
Friday 29 March, 7 pm
“It’s 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it’s dark… and we’re wearing sunglasses.” It’s Good Friday so its Ok because Elwood says “We’re on a mission from God.”
Tix
Comedy Gold @ National (Studio 2)
Friday 29 March, 7.30 pm
With Rachel Berger, Jay Wymarra, Michael Shafar and more. $25/$22
Tix
Electric Beach @ South Beach
Saturday 30 March, 1 pm – 9 pm
“The very best in the electronic music scene, with DJs & Producers including Armand Van Helden / Franky Wah / Late Nite Tuff Guy / Roger Sanchez / Sasha / The Oddness. $149
Tix
Back to the Future trilogy @ Astor
Saturday 30 March, 1 pm
360 minutes of time travelling with Marty McFly and a maverick scientist Doc Brown with a DeLorean.
Tix
Eric Nam: K-Pop man @ Palais
Saturday 30 March
Named GQ Korea’s Man of the Year and Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia, the multifaceted musician, actor, TV personality and entrepreneur Eric Nam is one of the most successful Korean-American figures. $101+
Tix
Fleshgod Apocalypse & Wolfheart @ Espy Gershwin
Sunday 31 March, 7 pm
Italian Symphonic Death Metal Masters Fleshgod Apocalypse return to Australia with Finnish melodeath stalwarts Wolfheart. $80+
Tix
The Exorcist – Director’s Cut @ Astor
Sunday 31 March, 7 pm
Easter Sunday with head spinning R rated action from 1973.
Tix
April
(including local International Comedy Festival gigs)
Aaron Chen Funny Garden @ Palais
Friday 5 April – Sunday 14 April, various evening times
“Life is bristling with thorns, and I know no other remedy than to cultivate one’s garden.” Voltaire
“You are allowed to put whatever you like in your blurb. It doesn’t even have to describe the show.” Aaron
$39+
Tix
The Comedy Crawl: St Kilda (UK) @ Ellora (the first stop)
Friday 29 March and then weekends until 21 April, 1.30 pm start
Five comedians. Four bars. The most hilarious pub crawl in town…
Ellora (the first stop) will be open from 1:30pm.
Tix
Joel Temperly 110% Jokes @ St Kilda Cellar & Wine Bar
Wednesday 27 March – Saturday 20 April, 7 pm and 9.30 pm
Joel Temperly has some jokes he would very much like to tell you. Jokes about his hometown, old job, living situation, girlfriend, family and a whole lot of other stuff. He is a bitter Melbournian who likes his Melbourne Bitter (or any beer you have really, no big deal). $18.50 / $14
Tix
45 Fitzroy Street
Local Laughs @ Taphouse
Monday 1, 8 and 15 April, 8.30
“A hand-picked selection of local comedy treats + a sprinkling of the Festival’s finest” $25/$22
Tix
Comedy Gold @ The National
Fridays 29 March, 5 April, 12 April and 19 April, 7.30 pm
Follow the fairy-lights to our intimate cabaret studio. $29/$22
Tix
Friends of Suai Annual Trivia Night @ Middle Park Bowls Club
Thursday 18 April, 7pm
All funds raised will support the Covalima Community Centre in Suai to implement community development programs. $50 pp with tables of 10
Tix
Guided walk: Church Organs @ Uniting Church & Presbyterian Church
Sunday 28 April, 1 PM – 3 PM
Bookings open Thursday 28 March, 9 am
Experience the music and history of two Fincham and Hobday church organs in two heritage St Kilda churches, walking from St Kilda Uniting Church (1875) in Balaclava to St Kilda Presbyterian Church (1885) on Alma Rd. With organist Rhys Arvidson. These book out quickly! Free
Bookings
Greens announce first of nine candidates for Council elections
Current Greens Councillor Tim Baxter will stand again for election in the new ward of St Kilda at the elections scheduled for late October this year.
Cr Baxter is one of three Greens candidates announced today. Also announced are Earl James for South Melbourne Ward and Liliana Carranza for Elwood Ward. The Greens plan to field candidates in all nine Port Phillip wards with more announcements to come.
More information about the current candidates is available here
Earl James for South Melbourne Ward
Liliana Carranza for Elwood Ward
Tim Baxter for St Kilda Ward
Council election 2024
Key dates
All councils in Victoria will be elected by postal voting closing on Friday 25 October this year.
Everyone on the voters roll on Friday 30 August will receive a ballot pack in early October.
The voting pack will include the ballot paper, a reply-paid envelope, the candidate information statement and multi-language leaflet for voters.
After vote counting, the new councillors will be elected on 1 November for a 4 year term.
Nominations for council close Tuesday 24 September
New single councillor wards
This voting will elect one councillor in each of nine new awards.
Voting is preferential and it likely that most results will be decided by preferences.
Voters can expect to have at least three candidates in each ward, but possibly many more.
See ward map
TWiSK will be providing information on all the wards, but with special emphasis on the wards that include parts of St Kilda/Elwood.
TWiSK will make every effort to include every candidate equally and fairly.
White flags, chequered flags and red flags
Last July last year, Council voted to overturn Port Phillip’s longstanding opposition of the Australian Formula One Grand Prix as previously endorsed in June 2011.
This was a contentious and major change, passing council in a tight vote (5/4),
Was the outcome: a chequered or red flag?
With cars still racing around the track as we write, it obviously too early to tell. But we can bring you information on some of the objectives set by council last year, namely:
“Objective
Work with the AGPC over a 12-month period to maximise tourism and promotional opportunities including the creation of a Port Phillip specific ‘hub’ on the Grand Prix website”
Outcome
No hub on the GP website, but Council did spend a chunk of its $200K tourism marketing budget on outdoor and digital media as well as Council’s own channels such as: 5 must-visit bars close to the Grand Prix track.
“Objective
Advocate for improved public transport opportunities and communication for community members and visitors”
Outcome
True, trams deliver patrons to gates very effectively, they also take them back to the city equally effectively.
Replacing route 96 with buses is a major setback for locals, especially for disabled passengers.
“Objective
Work with local traders and the AGPC to ensure opportunities are created for local businesses to capitalise on the increased visitation. This will include support and promotion of trader-led events in key precincts.”
Outcome
Both the Espy and Middle Park Hotels had additional GP themed parklets, some local eateries were featured in the media as post-race options, and local hotels/AirBnB were reportedly booked out.
Red Flags?
The race to capitalise on the GP left some locals wondering about approvals for extra parklets, such as the Espy.
As reported last week, the Espy was permitted (under existing guidelines) to expand onto neighbouring Pollington Street for five days without consulting locals.
Senior officers also appear to have got caught up in the hype, with one senior executive telling residents that support for the GP was by unanimous vote of councillors when it was not.
But perhaps the biggest red flag is the expectation that government, including council, is expected to support the F1 with big dollars and keys to the city.
When the circus comes to town, with all its glitz, glamour and wealth, every citizen is expected to pay for the privilege.
According to The Age, last year’s race cost $197.6 million to put on and, despite generating record revenue, drained $100.6 million from the public purse.
And now we can add significant council time and resources.
TWiSK looks forward to reading how Council assesses the benefits and costs of it’s new pro GP position.
TWiSK invites local business to comment/report on their GP weekend experience.
Rate freeze motion gets the cold shoulder
Expect ‘difficult decisions’ as costs spiral and State rate caps apply
A bid from RoPP councillors for Council to start planning for a rate freeze has failed.
Moved by Cr Clarke/Sirakoff, the motion called for the CEO to plan rate freeze budget cuts of $3.6 million.
Cr Clarke said there was a cost of living crisis and councils needs to reduce spending on non-essential services. ‘There is no need for large scale cuts, we just need to spend less on non-essential services,’ she said. Cr Sirakoff said a freeze was needed because of 13 consecutive interest rate rises and a profound collapse in household disposable income.
Supporting the call, Cr Pearl said councillors needed to work collegially to find savings. “We all face the difficult job of finding savings in an election year for council,’ he warned.
Six councillors opposed the freeze as unrealistic
Crs Crawford, Baxter, Martin, Nyaguy, Cunsolo and Bond opposed the motion for a variety of reasons.
Cr Crawford gave a passionate defence of important services at a time when people were doing it tough. ‘Those services are more important to most people that $20 extra in the pocket once a year,’ she said.
Cr Martin reminded people of the budget review last year that took six months and only found $55K in savings.
Cr Nyaguy said ‘if you have cuts, please let us know.’
Cr Baxter said the motion was irresponsible, impossible and illegal. He branded the motion a political game and in a rhetorical flush called on opponents to ‘have the guts to name your cuts.’
Cr Bond indicated he supported budget savings but not this motion. “I’ll support a zero rate rise if you show me cuts that the majority of councillors will agree on,’ he said.
Mayor Cunsolo said the budget process was about balancing the greater good.
The vote to ask the CEO to draw up a rate freeze budget was lost.
For: Clarke, Sirakoff and Peal
Against: Baxter, Crawford, Bond, Martin, Nyaguy and Cunsolo
Putting out the garbage
Why isn’t now a good time?
[Sunday 24 March] So far the findings of the independent review into the change over of garbage contractors have remained secret.
We asked the Mayor when the report would be made public.
Her reply was:
“Councillors considered an independent waste review confidentially on Wednesday night. We will be releasing a statement and the reports as soon as possible in line with what we previously committed.”
TWiSK can think of no valid reason to delay the public release.
In the dark arts of bad news management there are several days that are wickedly ideal for releasing unfavourable news:
before Christmas ever, Grand Final eve or Easter time.
As the days tick by, we can only assume that the report contains some unpleasant facts.
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Greg 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.