Managing director of Ebono Institute and major sponsor of The Generator, Geoff Ebbs, is running against Kevin Rudd in the seat of Griffith at the next Federal election. By the expression on their faces in this candid shot it looks like a pretty dull campaign. Read on
The Brisbane Produce Market ‘How do you like them apples’ scratch and win campaign kicked off on Saturday 17 May with participating greengrocers across South East Queensland.
Customers who shop at their participating local greengrocer in May and June could win $1,000 worth of fruit and vegetables along with instant prizes, like a bag of free apples or $5 off their next visit.
The promotion is part of the Brisbane Produce Market’s retailer program which is designed to encourage consumers to shop at their local independent greengrocers and support excellence in fresh produce retailing.
Ben Hannant, Healthy Eating Ambassador for the Brisbane Produce Markets is an advocate of the retailer program. “I shop at my local greengrocer and they provide excellent customer service and they are the experts in their field—they know what is in season, what is fresh and how to use it.
“And I really know it’s fresh because just before I started my professional football career I worked at the Brisbane Produce Market, and it’s the owners of these independent greengrocers who personally select their produce at the Markets every day.
“Shopping at your local greengrocers not only helps a family business it could also help your family budget with the chance of winning $1,000 worth of fruit and veg,” said Mr Hannant.
Consumers have a great chance of winning as each participating store is offering the major draw of $1,000 worth of fruit and vegetables as well as instant prizes.
The promotion commenced on Saturday 17 May and closes on Saturday 14 June. The major winners will be drawn and notified on Wednesday 18 June. Full terms, conditions and participating stores can be found at www.promotions.brisbanemarkets.com.au
This week the federal government launched yet another attack on the environment through the budget – including the complete removal of Queensland Conservation’s federal government funding.
This mean spirited budget has singled out small community and environment organisations.
Almost $5 million in grants to community organisations will end from July 2014, including $1.3 million to over 150 environment organisation across Australia through the Grants to Voluntary Environment, Sustainability and Heritage Organisations.
Queensland Conservation is one of the environment organisations around Australia that will be affected by these funding cuts …. with the loss of $70,000 towards our vital work.
“The loss of these vital funds to our organisation will have a devastating affect on our ability to work on the protection of Queenslands environment” said Toby Hutcheon, Executive Director of Queensland Conservation.
“We are asking not only our committed supporters but every Queenslander who cares about the environment and is concerned about the raft of funding cuts and the changes to policy and legislation that is being introduced by the State and Federal Governments, to support QCC with a donation to help ensure our financial future.
The funding cut comes at a time when the Federal Government has just removed support for clean energy, is likely to approve a new mega mine in Queensland, supports the dumping of dredge spoil in the Great Barrier Reef and is winding back a range of hard won environmental laws.
Cutting Queensland Conservation funding will make little difference to the budget bottom line, but does harm our ability to fight for the environment.
“The State and Federal Governments have made it clear that the environment is not a priority for them. As Premier Newman said “we are in the coal business” – a statement which is supported by their actions and those of the Federal Government.”
As you would know, budget cuts are not the only problem facing the environment. The federal government is currently holding an Inquiry into streamlining environmental regulation, ‘green tape’, and one-stop-shops, which looks set to completely change the way environmental regulation works across Australia. Ultimately it risks creating a confusing array of rules and lower environmental standards, where the main winners will be mining and property development lobby groups.
There has never been a more important period in the history of Queensland for every environment organisation or community group to rally the people of Queensland into taking action to ensure that our voices are heard and that governments are held accountable for their actions both now and in the future.
PLEASE USE THIS LINK TO DONATE ONLINE. YOUR DONATION WILL HELP TO ENSURE THAT THE QUEENSLAND CONSERVATION COUNCIL WILL CONTINUE TO BE QUEENSLAND”S VOICE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
Museum of Brisbane has teamed up with David Malouf and five eminent contemporary artists to pay homage to one of Australia’s most treasured authors in his 80th year to create a new exhibition.
For David Malouf and friends, artists Bruce Reynolds, Noel McKenna, Karla Marchesi, Anna Carey and Camille Serisier will create works based on Mr Malouf’s quintessentially Australian writings, which the famed author will respond to in writing.
The exhibition, which opens on 6 May, will feature illustrations, paintings, photography, multimedia works and installations that explore Mr Malouf’s life and writings, focusing on key moments from his time growing up in Brisbane.
The artists have investigated themes including Australian motifs, Queensland’s tropical climate and architecture, Mr Malouf’s family holidays at Scarborough and his involvement in the arts.
Originally from Brisbane, Mr Malouf has lived and worked in England, Italy and Sydney where he has written prolifically since the 1970s. His award-winning works include nine novels, five non-fiction books, and several collections of poems, short stories and essays.
The exhibition will also feature family photos, theatre programs, personal letters and postcards from Mr Malouf’s extraordinary life.
Museum of Brisbane Director Peter Denham said it was a massive feat to have initiated a creative dialogue between one of Australia’s best loved authors and each of the artists.
“Generations of Australians have grown up enjoying David’s books, essays and poems so it is a privilege to have him on board for our latest exhibition that will pay homage to his incredible contribution to Australian culture,” Mr Denham said.
“This is a unique interdisciplinary collaboration between David, a national icon in Australian literature, and five renowned Australian artists, so it is a significant accomplishment for the Museum and one we think all Australians will appreciate.”
David Malouf and friends will run until 26 October 2014. For more information visit www.museumofbrisbane.com.au.
Museum of Brisbane is open daily from 10am to 5pm on Level 3 of Brisbane City Hall. Free entry.
Public Programs: Events, Tours & Talks
A substantial program of free events will accompany the exhibition, including artist talks, workshops, panel discussions, teacher viewings and appearances from David Malouf himself.
2pm Sun 18 May 2014
In Conversation with David Malouf and ABC TV presenter Karina Carvalho
2pm Sun 27 Jul 2014
Panel discussion: Exploring David Malouf and friends
2pm Sun 17 Aug 2014
Panel discussion: Malouf’s Brisbane with ABC presenter Tim Cox
Hurtle along Padstow Road until you reach number 186, park in a convenient cul-de-sac and stroll up to ‘The House’. You will be greeted politely at an unassuming desk and given a program of exquisite design on a sheet of A4 paper. As the show begins, you are invited to head to the backyard, where a path is picked out in lights. You trudge across a sprawling backyard studded with tussocks of grass. Three harpies without wings or claw, one male, 2 female, welcome you into a glowing marquee.
Fly is described as ‘an innovative, eclectic, post-modern physical piece of theatre’. Writer and Director Michelle Roberts and her company have set out to ‘encourage conversation, initiate change and begin to eliminate taboo’. Their triumph is that they have unequivocally succeeded. They have devised a theatre piece portraying mental illness. Yet this show does not leave the audience feeling depressed. Rather, the sophistry of their art outweighs the heaviness of the subject matter.
This show plays on archetypes: the characters are not named and do not follow a traditional narrative arc. The show begins with direct questions for the audience. Then it progresses to relate the experience of one woman who gave up on love, eating and hope. Images are created and presented that enable the audience to step inside the experience of depression. Using original music composed by Michelle Roberts and voice-over interludes, the show weaves an immersive experience. It also addresses the issue of change and personal responsibility for a person experiencing mental illness.
Lead actress Madeleine McMahon demonstrates her mastery during the affecting ‘I’m stuck’ sequence. This reviewer, sitting in the front row, less than a step away from the performer, felt obligated to respect the authenticity of her pain. Dance and movement pieces effectively portray the torment of the heroine. She moves like a dancer and fellow cast members Grace Edward, Pri Hemmadi and Jamie King-Turner show impressive physical theatricality.
The show leaves it open for the audience to mediate their own meaning. One character portrayed by Luke Goss, who has been sitting in the audience for most of the show, appears towards the end. Is he another person or an aspect of the heroine’s psyche? Luke explained that the precise identity of his character changes daily and the script leaves it open to interpretation.
The standard of performance is faultless, as is costuming, hair and makeup. The marquee is perfectly lit. The performers capitalized on the audience size – four on the night this reviewer attended. Blankets are thoughtfully provided for snuggling away the autumn chill.
To take this show to the next level, it is suggested music could be used to create some light relief to counterbalance the heaviness of depression. This would also perhaps recreate the roller coaster effect of the human journey through life from happiness to euphoria, down to sadness and back again.
During an informal Q & A chat after the show – part debrief, part friendly university student party, one audience member said he was reminded of a friend who suffers badly with depression and asked ‘What do you do?’. This after-show chat rounded out the show beautifully. Seeing the cast members stretch and laugh, swathed in blankets, cleansed away any residue of heaviness from the show’s subject matter and enabled the audience members to leave feeling intact but enlightened. More appreciative of the shadow side of self where depression resides. An offer of a cuppa after the show wouldn’t go astray though!
Driving home, my theatre companion confided that she had experienced despair like that of the heroine. It is perhaps no surprise that eight of the nine creatives involved in this show are students or graduates of Grifffith University’s applied theatre program. They have applied their skills to create a work of art which both educates and evokes compassion in the audience. It is a satisfying, illuminating and intimate piece of theatre.
The Bentley Blockade on April 14, 2014. Photo by David Lowe
The critical battle between protectors of the land and miners at Bentley in NSW has been won, by the protestors.
I sat down to write an early morning story exhorting all good humans (you) to come to the aid of the nation’s land and water at the Bentley Blockade next Monday. As the computer warmed up, news filtered through that the mining company’s license has been revoked by the NSW government.
You are off the hook. I no longer have to exhort you to choose between the comfort of your daily life and a cold, uncomfortable, non-violent battle three hours drive away.
The NSW government had organised hundreds of riot police, mounted units and the dog squad to face down thousands of farmers and environmentalists on a property in a small town in Northern NSW. The protesters have locked onto structures built at all access points to a farm that had sold mining rights to Metgasco.
Bentley is only one battle in the war between the short term view of the economy built around mining and the long term view built around land, water and renewable energy but it is close to the coast, close to Brisbane and is a test case for a relatively new NSW Government determined to emulate Queensland and declare itself open for business to coal.
At stake
The gas company was planning an exploration well to determine the viability of extracting gas from the limestone in form of extraction slightly different to the coal seam gas more familiar to Queenslanders but just as invasive to the artesian basis and surface activity such as farming.
The concern of the farmers is that miners are being given priority over water and land on which our food supply depends. In the words of the quickly-dumped NSW Premier Nathan Rees in June 2009, “Coal is more important to the people of NSW than food.” His logic was that we can make more money by selling coal than by selling food and so can then use that money to buy all the food we want. When challenged he failed to recognise any problem with that logic.
The concern of the environmentalists is that the focus on resource extraction, particularly the extraction of fossil fuels, takes us further down the dead end of building an unsustainable consumer economy that irrevocably damages the ecosystems that support us, including the water and land that the farmers want to protect.
Flags over Bentley blockade at Easter 2014
The battle lines
The four thousand engaged locals who have been staffing the camp and supporting the “Simmos” locked onto the structures that deny the miners access to the property are supported by over 85% of the surrounding communities of Richmond Valley, Lismore, Ballina and Tweed Heads.
The local papers, shire councils, Greens party and groups like Lock the Gate, have consistently raised questions as to why the State Government is using taxpayer funded police and other resources to back mining companies in the face of such strong public opposition. The opponents include local plicemen, school principals and the famous Knitting Nannas.
The mining companies and representatives of NSW government departments responsible for mining and resources have begun recently to engage in the debate in detail, asserting that the wheels of industry and the gas stoves of Melbourne and Sydney will sputter to a cold, barren halt without alternative sources of gas.
It is true, the search for alternative forms of gas began around the mid nineties as Santos revealed that its Cooper Basin gas field that supplies NSW with its natural gas would run out by 2020. Instead of seeing this as an opportunity to activate and promote renewable sources of energy and build the long term future, governments backed the advocates of fossil fuel to follow the US down the track of exploring non-conventional gas and oil extraction.
While the public engagement in the details of the debate is new, it was not enough to convince an already engaged and alert public that they should sacrifice water and land for a secure energy future based on fossil fuels.
Monday’s plans
Plans for convoys of supporters from as far away as Brisbane made it evident that the hundreds of riot police already on their way to the towns of Lismore and Casino would face a very public battle that they would be unlikely to win and that would go all the way to a fully-fledged battle with well prepared, unarmed, non-violent demonstrators who have declared their preparedness to die if necessary.
At the same time, the investigations of the Independent Commission Against Commission have revealed that many decisions in favour of mining projects have been made by public officials seriously compromised by their acceptance of bribes from mining companies.
Retreat
A relevant sign at the Invasion Day rally in Brisbane
In the end, it appears to have been easier for the government to back out gracefully than fight its own citizens on behalf of a company that may have corruptly gained its support.
This victory for the tribe means I don’t need to challenge you as to whether you are willing to travel for three hours to go and support a small band of protestors on the front line. You should remain alert, however, as this is simply one battle in a global war.
At stake is the fundamental direction of society. Do we maintain the status quo and preserve our consumerist dream of 1.7 cars per family in an air-conditioned garage with a well stocked freezer or do we accept that we need to reduce our footprint to build a better future?
As the slogan goes, “On which side do you stand? The dirty dollar, or the pristine land?”
A divided West End Traders Association (WETA) last night designed a two pronged strategy to manage graffiti. On one hand the strategy will embrace and promote street art on the other it will vigorously police the defacement of commissioned art and no paint zones that property owners want to keep pristine.
The strategy was developed following a presentation by Brisbane City Council Graffiti Liaison Officer. Wilhelm Offen and a heated discussion between members with radically different views.
Council spends millions each year in an incredibly complex battle with graffiti artists, often out of the public eye, in deserted buildings or public institutions that are not visited by the public. At least three full time staff form a Taskforce Against Graffiti (TAG) that coordinates the efforts of police, Brisbane City Council and private agencies.
Graffiti Liaison Officer Offen described an international network of artists that go on “tagging holidays” where they collectively deface a city, literally giving the police the finger via CCTV cameras set up to catch them red-handed. He described these people as organised criminals, selling drugs and engaged in high level crime such as bank robbery and money laundering.
Members of WETA challenged a number of these assertions, pointing out that without a distinction between street artists defending their right to public expression and ordinary vandals, any policy is bound to fail in the confusion. It was also noted that drug dealers and bank robbers rarely go out of their way to identify themselves to police.
One of West End’s more popular graffiti icons. The pet spider appeared in a range of graffiti
Some business owners described the vandalism to their property, especially the use of rooftops as temporary drug dens complete with mattresses, drug paraphernalia and the subsequent rubbish. Graffiti Liaison Officer Offen said that rooftop tagging presented special challenges to TAG as it is hard to catch the perpetrators, expensive for business owners to respond and, because the graffiti is on private property, impossible for council to buff out the graffiti.
Graffiti Liaison Officer Offen suggested that businesses commission local graffiti artists to use the wall space accessible from their rooftop as advertising space. He has prepared a guide to navigating council rules around advertising, street art and public taste so that businesses are not guilty of the same crimes as the illegal street artists.
This highlighted the absurdity of the Council’s existing zero tolerance approach and formed the basis for one component of the new strategy.
To manage street art and encourage the positive aspects of a public visual culture, WETA will work with businesses and Graffiti Liaison Officer Offen to commission artworks in designated areas. These will initially be on private property and in prominent spaces.
A similar approach will be developed for vacant property that is earmarked for demolition or redevelopment, working with existing and new owners to provide canvasses for street artists and community groups developing and using visual art in public space as part of their expression.
The third arm of the pro-street art strategy will be to provide a series of billboards for public announcements and advertisements. West End Community Association will be approached to manage these spaces and ensure that they are kept up to date and within acceptable guidelines.
Not all business owners support this pro-art strategy. Graffiti Liaison Officer Offen also gave his professional opinion that such strategies have been shown not to work. He accepted, though, that it is better to have community engagement in an experimental strategy than to simply leave Council and police fighting a losing battle with taggers. WETA confirmed that it work within existing bylaws and would not pressure Graffiti Liaison Officer Offen to go outside the professional guidelines of his job.
The other arm of the strategy will be that used elsewhere across Brisbane. TAG will work with local businesses to respond as rapidly as possible to undesirable graffiti, using CCTV footage to identify perpetrators, and buffing over graffiti and removing posters as soon as possible.
Business owners are responsible for dealing with the defacement of their property, council can only deal with paint on public areas such as footpaths, street furniture and council buildings.
A remarkable aspect of the discussion was intensity and volume of the activity that goes on out of the public eye.
Graffiti Liaison Officer Offen described hundred of graffit artists painting thousands of square metres of publicly owned property within weeks of it being vacated.
The amount of rooftop activity going on in our community was an eye opener for many WETA members, including this reporter.
Public complaints by high profile people about commissioned artworks in public spaces presents a large waste of public resources as evidence is collected and documents prepared for formal responses and legal defences about issues which are outside council jurisdiction.
A number of examples of commissioned art being painted over by Council were raised. In every case a complex story of misinformation and hidden agendas emerged.
The nuanced response developed at this meeting is specifically designed to ensure the maximum engagement of the business and residential community and minimise the problems that emerge when lines and intent of communication are not clear. WETA is to be commended for finding a path through this potential minefield. It may be experimental but, should it work, it could form a blue print for other communities facing the same challenge.
The Brisbane Produce Market ‘How do you like them apples’ scratch and win campaign kicked off on Saturday 17 May with participating greengrocers across South East Queensland.
