Monday 29 May – Sunday 4 June

TWiSK #367

St Kilda Film Festival: Short Films, Bold Stories
Month of extra pride @ Pride Centre
New exhibits @ Linden

Plus music, arts and community

State budget: Lean pickings for St Kilda
Kerferd Road cycle lanes ‘quietly’ scrapped

Scroll down for local news stories, they are after the events!

Timor Leste Election Observers @ St Kilda Town Hall
Tuesday 30 May, 6 pm – 7 pm.
Friends of Suai/Covalima have gathered an interesting crew to present a report back from the recent Timor Leste election observers.
The speakers include:
Jon Faine AM, writer and broadcaster with summary report from the team of election observers;
 Nancy Price, Friends of Suai Committee member will reflect on observing five Timorese elections; 
 Hon Martin Foley, former Labour minister and former local MLA, will share his experiences of the ballot.
Followed by soft drinks & nibbles. Free
Bookings via Eventbrite
Try before you ride: Accessible Footy Day @ Acland Plaza
Tuesday 30 May, 10 am – 2 pm
Get in your footy colours and Try Before You Ride to come learn about accessible tram travel and inclusive footy. This event enables passengers with accessibility concerns to practice boarding and alighting trams in a safe and controlled environment.
Yarra Trams customer service team will be on-hand to answer questions and explain the accessible features on trams and how to plan for an accessible journey.
This is a free event, but please register. 
Unveiling Talent @ Space2b
Tuesday 30 May – Saturday 1 July
Opening Thursday 8 June, 6 pm – 8 pm
Check out the entries in the recent Space2b Design Competition. See the winning artists gorgeous creations on Space2b products including tea-towels, soaps, chocolates & cards!
space2b.com.au/current-exhibition/
144 Chapel Street
Tuesday – Friday 10 am – 5 pm, Saturday 10 am – 2 pm
Opening > Belinda Piggott: All That Twinkles @ Linden
Thursday 1 June, 6 pm – 8 pm
All That Twinkles contemplates the shift in the power of the universe, from the spiritual to the economic. Against a soundtrack of recordings made in space, sculptural constellations of gems and space minerals hang in the sky, connecting and intersecting to chart the passage for new stories.
RSVP 
Metamuse dance @ Alex
Thursday 1 June – Saturday 3 June, 8 pm
Led by nine dancers, Metamuse celebrates dance and pushes the boundaries of Jazz.
Tix
St Kilda Film Festival @ St Kilda and South Melbourne
Thursday 1 June – 12 June
Watch trailer
Starting at the Palais and then moving to host most screenings at the Astor, the SKFF focuses on short films.
Highlights include: Australian Comedy Showcase; International Family Animation Explosions (kids free); Australian Documentary Showcase; and Made in Vic. This year SKFF also has a range of screenings in bars and hidden venues in South Melbourne.
Program now on line
Port Phillip residents get a 10% using promo code LOCAL10
  
A month of extra Pride @ Pride
From 1 June
Pride has programmed a big month of extra activities in June which is Pride Month. They’ve got something happening almost every day.
Queer Social: Watercolour for Beginners
Thursday 1 June, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Discover the art of DIY stencilling, using some very common objects and some substances you may not expect, to create a deep cosmic centrepiece. $5
Tix
Love, Simon Youth Film Screening
Saturday 3 June, 7 pm
Ages 12 – 19 only.
Tix 
Sunday Sizzle – Pride Month Edition
Sunday 4 June, 1 pm – 5 pm
An afternoon of music, connection and sausage sizzle on the Pride Centre rooftop. Free
Full program

Rich Webb Band + Madeleine Clare @ George Lane
Friday 2 June, 7 PM – 11 PM
Rich Webb’s will launch a new single ‘Brunswick St’ south of the river at George Lane as part of this double bill with Madeleine Clare, a Melbourne-born singer songwriter. Check them on YouTube
Rich Web – Blue Wildflowers | Madeleine Clare Sabotage 
Tix 

The Killer Queen Experience @ Espy
Friday 2 June, 8 pm
Formed in 2003, The Killer Queen Experience is a Brisbane based Queen Cover Band to an International Touring Show. $46
TixPride at Play @ Carlisle Street Arts Space
Saturday 3 June -24 June, Monday – Friday 9 am – 5 pm, Saturdays 10 am – 3 pm.
Recommended 15 years or older
Pride at Play is a free curated collection of thoughtful queer games made by LGBTQIA+ creators from Oceania and Asia Pacific.
There will be many games for solo and cooperative play available at the exhibition.
Players without any prior experience can also sign up and play tabletop roleplaying games with an experienced facilitator.
prideatplay.org
St Kilda Town Hall

Bernadette Robinson > Songs of Judy Garland @ Memo
Saturday 3 June, 7 pm
“Bernadette Robinson, the stunning Australian music theatre performer who wowed audiences and critics here and on London’s West End in her one-woman show “Songs For Nobodies” showcases songs made famous by Judy Garland and introduces some surprise guests.” $55/$35
Tix
Moth @ Theatre Works
Until Saturday 3 June, Tues – Sat 7.30pm
“An action-packed graphic-novel fiction fantasy erupting on the stage, Moth is a love-letter to every teen… and to those who used to be.”
This funny and heart breaking two-hander starts as just another night drinking but soon gives way to an ecstatic vision that leaves fifteen-year-old Sebastian unconscious and his only friend, Claryssa, gone. Suitable for ages 15+ $50/$42
Tix 
14 Acland Street, St Kilda
Meet the Artist > Nell @ Linden
Sunday 4 June, 1 pm – 2 pm
Visit Linden for an exhibition closing floor talk and hear from Nell in person about the stories of the making of this exhibition and her love of music, knowledge of art history, her Buddhist practice and ongoing self-reflection.
RSVP 
Meet the Artist: Belinda Piggott
Sunday 4 June, 2.30 pm – 3 pm
Enjoy a floor talk with artist Belinda Piggott, as we discuss the creative process and inspiration that underpin her exhibition, All That Twinkles.
RSVP 
Cathy Henenberg Exhibition @ Neighbours Café
Until Thursday 6 July
“I voyaged quite alone in the silence of this magic sea”
Images brought together in response to our experiences of confinement during the COVID pandemic. This period foregrounded the fragility of our way of life but also deepened an appreciation of space and beauty within the locality of Nerim (Port Phillip Bay).
Her images were chosen which evoke a dreamlike, but at times, haunting quality.
42 Chapel Street (cnr Inkerman)
Mon – Fri, 6.30 am – 4 pm; Sat – Sun, 7.30 am – 4 pm

Next week Monday 5 June – Sunday 11 June

Maoko Mend & Meetup Sewing Circles @ Space2b
Fortnightly on Thursdays from 8 June until 20th July
Join Japanese sewer Maoko Carroll in a regular sewing circle at Space2b Social Design. Spend some time with like-minded people, learn how to mend your garments and feel connected with the community. $10 Donation. Drop-ins only
More info 
144 Chapel St
STASH Industry Night @ Alex
Monday 5 June, 7.30 PM
An all singing all dancing fundraiser and celebration of the local musical theatre scene. Big list of local talent across a number of stages. $28
Tix and info
Uncle Vanya @ Theatre Works
From Wednesday  7 June – Saturday 17 June
Multi-award-winning director Bronwen Coleman (Dirt, Naomi, Ignis) and the Anthropocene Play Company breathe immediacy and new life into Anton Chekhov’s renowned classic, Uncle Vanya. $45 with some tix $20
BookingsLITFEST 2023 @ Albert Park College
Friday 9 and Saturday 10 June
Famous for their Rotary Book Fair,  now with a powerhouse literary festival with top authors including:
Sarah Krasnostein (The Trauma Cleaner, The Believer, and Not Waving, Drowning)
Laura McPhee-Browne (Cherry Beach, Little Plum)
Natasha Sholl (Found, Wanting)
Singer-Songwriter Hannah McKittrick (The Day Has Again Bruised Me).
Fest tix $30 and $15 concession.
Tix
SKFF Gravel Road – film and music @ Espy
Saturday 10 June, 1 pm
Watch the award-winning documentary ‘Gravel Road’ presenting the story of the rock band ‘Desert Stars’ debut tour through Western Australia’s outback – and then hear the band in all their dusty glory. With John Wayne Parsons & Eleanor Dix. $22.95
Tix

The Hoodoomen @ Espy
Sunday, 11 June, 6 pm
Free Sunday blues in the Basement

Later in June

SKiPPS Winter Wellness @ Albert Park Oval #1 Pavilion
Thursday 15 June, 8 am – 6.30 pm
Celebrate the approaching winter solstice & rejuvenate with a special fundraiser for St Kilda Park Primary. Enjoy a session or two or full day of yoga, sound bath, hypnotherapy, chakradance or Feldenkrais method. All profits to SKiPPS. $20 per session or $115 for full day (8 sessions).
Tix
“You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” @ Alex
Friday 16 June – Sunday 2 July, various times
Broadway’s Tony Award-Winning Smash Hit. $55 / $25 Family $98
Tix
What does ‘world heritage’ mean? @ U3APP Saturday zoom
17 June 2023 – 2.30 to 3.30 pm
A zoom conversation between Dr William Logan AM and Dr Joe Hajdu explaining what it takes to get onto the list and how places are managed once they have been inscribed. How the system works will be explored using Berlin’s Museum Island as a case study. Free
More info and zoom link 

Book early

Fiddler on the Roof @ Alex
Wednesday 2 August – Sunday 13 August,
MLOC (not-for-profit community theatre) presents their first production of its 2023 season with Fiddler on the Roof.
Tix

Failed to shine: Kerferd Road bike lanes rejected

Last week, under the cover of State budget news, the State Government quietly announced that the proposed protected bike lane from Beaconsfield Parade to Moray Street would be abandoned.
The lanes were a crucial part of the $13 million Shrine to Sea project to create a boulevard connecting the Domain Gardens to Port Phillip Bay via Albert and Kerferd roads.
Cyclists disappointed at lost opportunity
Port Phillip Bicycle Users Group President Julie Clutterbuck said they were disappointed to see State Government fail to deliver one of the key objectives of the Shrine to Sea project, namely safer walking and cycling connections along the corridor.
‘If it aint broke, don’t fix it’
Opponents of the protected lanes were quietly pleased. They argued that the changes would create traffic chaos and surrounding streets would become rat runs. They felt that Kerferd Road was good as it is.
Boulevard of broken dreams?
Linking the new ANZAC Station at the Shrine to the Beach at Middle Park was an opportunity to create better active transport connections to the exciting Melbourne Metro rail project. Making a feature of a link between the beachside and the Metro was a worthy dream, but after five years of planning and consultation, the wheels have literally fallen off.
Council left with flat tires
The removal of the bike lanes caught council by surprise. Mayor Heather Cunsolo told TWiSK that Council had “noted, and are currently considering, this change in direction.”
“More broadly, we look forward to the Victorian Government seeking our community’s views on its draft Masterplan later this year.”
Read the Government info on the project 

State budget: spotlight on St Kilda

After much love in recent years, St Kilda has little to cheer about in the latest State budget.
What were the hyper local announcements in the budget?
TWiSK did some digging and found ….
A lean budget for St Kilda
After significant announcements in recent years, including St Kilda Pier redevelopment, St Kilda Road bike lanes, Pride Centre, EcoCentre, Wellington Street Common Ground Project and childcare contributions, St Kilda doesn’t enjoy the same spotlight in this budget.
But with the help of local MLA Nina Taylor’s office, we’ve collated some of the budget news for nearby suburbs.
Schools: Boost for some, blow for others
There is money start planning an upgrade to Middle Park Primary School and build a new P-9 school in Fisherman’s Bend.
[TWiSK notes: On the other hand, that most local private schools will now be asked to pay about 5% tax on their payroll.]
More support for sport in Port
Port Melbourne Surf Life Saving Club will get money for an upgraded toilet block and lift, and the Port Melbourne Bowling Club will get $1 million.
Grants for community groups
The budget also has significant grants to community groups, including Sacred Heart Mission ($100), Ready Set ($100K), Nappy Collective ($100K) and Channel 31 ($50K).
Health and wellbeing
The budget also promises a new comprehensive women’s health clinic at the Alfred Hospital and planning for a new Mental Health and Wellbeing Local in St Kilda (although the government website says the Local facilities may not open until 2026).

Headlines from non-government MPs

Nothing in budget for my electorate: David Southwick Caulfield MLA
Watch David’s video on the State budget
David Southwick Caulfield MLA and Deputy Opposition Leader said the budget was not good for Victoria or his electorate (which includes parts of St Kilda on the East side of the Town Hall. “It confirmed Victoria’s debt will rise to $171.4 billion, more than NSW, Queensland, and Tasmania combined,” he said.
He was disappointed about “No Caulfield Hospital Upgrade, No Local School Upgrades, and Nothing to unlock Caulfield Racecourse Reserve for the community to use.”
He also highlighted the payroll tax for private schools that would add 5.85% of wages to their costs and the impact of property taxes on investors and tenants as rents rise.
Failed struggling Victorians: Sam Hibbins Prahran MLA
“Labor’s state budget has failed struggling Victorians,” said Sam Hibbins.
“Rather than address the urgent cost-of-living & housing affordability crises facing everyday Victorians, the budget offers absolutely nothing for renters.”
Sam and his upper house colleague Katherine Copsey (former councillor) have stepped up a campaign to freeze rents backing a parliamentary enquiry.
But in green circles there were smiles all round for the end to logging native forests.

Maybe next time …. local disappointments

More accessible trams and matching stops….
Three of the tram routes servicing St Kilda have no accessible trams (Rte 12, 3/3a and 67) making the level access stops on these routes a frustrating reminder the lack of progress on universal access to this mode of public transport.
The budget trumpeted the arrival of the first of 100 new trams in 2025, but promised to deploy these in the West on routes 57, 59 and 82.
How long will St Kilda and surrounds wait for more accessible trams?
Upgrades at Albert Park
The myriad of local sporting clubs that use the lake and sporting fields have been bidding for capital investment to repair the lake wall to allow higher water levels and deliver much needed upgrades to sporting facilities.
In the last election, the ALP was the only party not to make promises about this important local sporting and recreational asset.
While the Grand Prix is generously funded, how long will sporting clubs need to keep begging for capital support?