Author: Wan Kerr

The main challenge of G20 for Micah Projects, a community organisation working with homeless people in the inner city, will be locating temporary accommodation during the G20 period, along with all the other visitors to the city.

“We need to plan ahead”, Karyn Walsh Micah Projects’ Coordinator said.  “Finding temporary accommodation further afield is not about displacing people in crisis during G20, but a response to reduced availability of affordable short-term accommodation in the inner city and nearby locations.”

Ms Walsh said “G20 won’t change how we work with people who are homeless.  For Micah and other non-government organisations we work with, the first response is always to ensure people sleeping rough are safely placed in temporary accommodation.  Short term accommodation is critical to provide safety and a place to start the process of resolving crisis and accessing housing.”

“Like everyone else in the areas affected by G20, people who are living on the streets of Brisbane will be affected by G20” she said, ‘but good communication, working together with police, accommodation providers, mental health services, domestic violence services  and our knowledge of the people we work with, we can mitigate any adverse effects the change inevitably brings. “

Micah Projects funding from government includes funding to broker short-term accommodation, and Micah raises additional funding from the community where exceptional circumstances create additional demand.

Ms Walsh said “Our goal to raise funds to plan for providing people with options is based on experience.  Over the Christmas and New Year holiday period, private donations were received which provided approximately $7,000 in assistance to 5 individuals and 24 families – a total of 38 adults and 56 children – for accommodation, food, housing set up costs and emergency removalist expenses, etc.

Ms Walsh said that Micah’s aspiration for G20 would be that

• individuals and families in crisis are supported to access services
• people living on the streets are supported in understanding the locational changes without fear or harassment
• G20 leaders would spend time addressing homelessness at a global, national and local level in our countries as economies create conditions where so many citizens across the globe are faced with living without a home.

Giant hot air artwork The Skywhale to hover over Brisbane Powerhouse this week.

Don’t be alarmed if you see a giant anomalistic creature residing near Brisbane Powerhouse later this week. First seen hovering over the city of Canberra last year, the controversial hot-air artwork, The Skywhale, is making her way to Brisbane. Gifted from the Centenary of Canberra, The Skywhale will make three appearances from Wednesday 19 – Friday 21 February 2014 – coinciding with the APAM.

Created by internationally renowned artist and former Canberran Patricia Piccinini, at 34m long and 23m high, The Skywhale is at least twice as big as a standard hot-air balloon, weighs half a tonne and used more than 3.5km of fabric. It took 16 people seven months and more than 3.3million stitches to design and make and will carry a pilot plus two passengers to an altitude of 3000ft.

Patricia spoke of her creation, highlighting that the key purpose of its nature is to be a cryptic work.

“I don’t really want to tell people what exactly to think about the Skywhale. That is very much up to them. However, Skywhale for me is something of a meditation on nature and evolution, which are two things that fascinate me.

“Fifty million years ago whales were small dog-like mammals with hoofs called pakicetidae. Somehow they went back to the sea and became huge and intelligent. In that context, the idea that the journey could have ended in the air, with a creature like the Skywhale, is not so ridiculous.”

Piccinini is one of Australia’s best-known contemporary artists and works in a variety of media including painting, sculpture, video, sound and digital prints and has been exhibited at the Venice Biennale, the Victoria and Albert Museum London, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and one of the world’s leading art shows, Documenta in Kassel, Germany.

According to Patricia she was very happy for the Centenary of Canberra commission to be gifted to Brisbane Powerhouse with the vision that it would tour throughout Australia and the world.

“I hope that she can be source of joy and wonder; that she can just fly and fly and fly.”

Viewings of The Skywhale are scheduled for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, from 6 – 8pm. It will be tethered at the Powerhouse Plaza, near the main entrance to the Brisbane Powerhouse.

Jasmine Phillips is delighted to step in to sign for the deaf community in the forthcoming production of The Vagina Monologues at the Judith Wright Centre in March, particularly since it’s a family affair.

West End resident, political activist and Auslan interpreter, Jasmine will not only share the interpreting role with her sister, Michelle Phillips but is doing so at the request of her Producer-Director mother, Sally Lattin.

Jasmine was first in the family to discover the language of the deaf community when she studied Cultural Studies and Politics at university and met and became close friends with a fellow student who was deaf. This gave her an interest in signing so that she could communicate effectively with her friend but, having become more involved in the deaf community,

Jasmine decided to become an Auslan interpreter.

“My sister Michelle developed an interest in the Auslan language too along with the rest of the family but it was Michelle and I who became passionate about it,” Jasmine said.

“Auslan is the language of the deaf community in Australia and we as interpreters are thrust into many scenarios that are challenging and with unusual circumstances that require us to think on our feet and draw on interpreter training and ethics,” Jasmine said.

“I’m thrilled to be signing for The Vagina Monologues after their sell out season in Maleny last year. Making thought-provoking and entertaining arts accessible to Auslan users is a fantastic feat.  I’m very glad to be a part of it.”

She has been signing for the Woodford Folk Festival events for many years such as the opening and closing ceremonies which she has done on many occasions. She was immortalized on film by Darmin Cameron who won the Spirit of Woodford Video Award for his film Interpreting Woodford, a 12-minute documentary about Jasmine when she interpreted comedians performing at the Woodford Comedy Club.

“Interpreters rarely have access to materials in order to prepare in their day to day work. The good thing about theatre interpreting is that you have a script to familiarize yourself with before the big day, a luxury that interpreters rarely receive. “

Sally Lattin’s production company, Wild Women Productions brings Eve Ensler’s award-winning play to Brisbane at the end of March. The play is made up of a series of monologues, inspired by Ensler’s interviews with over 200 women from around the world. Through these monologues—which range from riveting manifestos to comedic recounts of real women’s stories—Wild Women Productions will celebrate women’s strength and sexuality, address issues such as violence against women, and work to create an empowering, positive perception of women.

M15+ classification. Explicit language and adult themes.

Find us on Facebook:  www.facebook.com/WildWomenProductions

BRISBANE– Judith Wright Centre
Friday March 28 2014 at 7.30pm
Saturday March 29 2014 at 2.00pm
Bookings: judithwrightcentre.com, 07 3872 9000

Lower speeds allows quicker car travel time in urban areas, research shows.

Locals across Australia are being asked to join Bicycle Network’s latest campaign to introduce lower speeds in neighbourhoods where bike riders, pedestrians and drivers share the roads.

Low Speed Locals is calling on Australian bike riders and other road users to write to their local council’s Chief Executive Officer and ask for slower speed limits, or, work on streets which would slow down traffic.

Bicycle Network Chief Executive Officer Craig Richards said the Low Speed Locals campaign aimed to improve the health of local communities by encouraging people to get active on streets where the traffic was slower.

Drivers need not worry about slower travel times as research shows they can make that drive to work or school quicker because traffic flow improves.**

Slower speeds, particularly in residential areas, encourage people (especially children) to ride or walk.

“Research also shows that a key reason why people stop riding locally is because they don’t feel safe on roads where traffic speeds are high,” Mr. Richards said.

“Slower speed limits and other speed reduction measures will turn hectic suburbs into vibrant and active communities where people can ride and live happy lives.”

Mr. Richards encouraged all Australians to get involved in the campaign to help reduce speed limits and get our communities active.

“With more than half of Australians not getting the 30 minutes of daily physical activity needed there are millions of people at risk of developing a chronic disease like cancer or heart disease.

“Lowering speed limits will go a long way towards encouraging more people to get active, make bike riding a habit and improve their physical and mental health.”

Supporting research for lowering speed limits (and examples) is available in the current February-March edition of Bicycle Network’s Ride On magazine or online: http://rideons.wordpress.com/2014/02/03/liveable-speeds/

Resources and supporting research:

**The Impact of Lowered Speed Limits in Urban and Metropolitan Areas – Version 5.0 – Archer J, Fotheringham M, Symmons M and Corben B – Monash Accident Research Centre, 2008. http://www.monash.edu.au/miri/research/reports/muarc276.pdf 

Safe speed: promoting safe walking and cycling be reducing traffic speed – Garrad, J. Dr. – Commissioned by the Safe Speed Interest Group – The Heart Foundation, the City of Port Phillip and the City of Yarra, 2008: https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/active-living/Documents/Safe-Speed-Evidence-Report.pdf

Studio 99 fitness is initiating a 10-week corporate challenge to help local West End businessmen and women become healthier, by reducing their average weight by 10kg over 10 weeks.

Studio 99 Fitness is a local personal training studio that has been operating out of 99 Melbourne Street for over 5 years, focusing on personalized fitness programs in a fun, friendly and safe environment. With trainers boasting over 20 years industry experience, Studio 99 is the leader of personalized fitness in West End.

2014 is the year to create a healthier workplace environment through regular exercise and health and fitness education. Studio 99 is passionate about changing the health and fitness culture of West End’s business community.

Through the challenge, Studio 99 aims to not only make West End businesspeople fitter, stronger and healthier, but also to improve workplace environment and productivity.

Current corporate clients of studio 99 attribute fewer sick days, increased energy levels, and workplace productivity to regular exercise at the studio.

There are three different packages available for the 10 week corporate challenge:

The platinum package incorporates

• One free weekly group class.
• One health and fitness seminar.
• Weekly newsletter.
• Individual measurements and tracking.
• Individual training program.
• 2 one on one sessions with a personal trainer.
• Individual nutrition program.

Mention “The Westender” when registering your business, and receive the first week of the platinum package for free.

Studio 99 Fitness
99 Melbourne Street Westend.
www.studio99fitness.com.au
Mobile:0431340389
Email: matt@studio99fitness.com.au

Just when you thought that the last thing West End needed was yet another Thai restaurant, along comes Soi 9 Thai in Hardgrave Road to overturn all your preconceptions.

The Westender was one of the first through the door on the day they opened, and we’ve been back frequently – sometimes twice a day! – ever since. We’ve also been raving about it endlessly to all our friends.

According to proprietress Pla, Soi 9 aims to offer a range of different cuisines representative of the different regions of Thailand. That same theme extends to the decor as well, with furniture and seating reflecting different regional styles.

We’ve given the menu a good workout in recent days, and have found every dish a delight.

We were particularly taken with the Tofu Sweet and Sour with Tamarind Sauce, melt-in-the-mouth creamy softness with a crispy exterior, anointed with a dark, syrupy Tamarind sauce.

Other pleasant surprises were the Pla Rama Long Son (battered chicken with peanut sauce), Duck, Basil and Chilli and the Sweet and Sour Crispy Pork.

The Entrees menu is equally inviting, and deserves closer attention. Of the fifteen entrees listed, we’ve only tried half a dozen to date, and are looking forward to further exploration.

The decor is bright and cheerful, the service is excellent and the meals are presented so they look just as good as they taste.

All in all, Soi 9 Thai is a worthy addition to the local restaurant scene, and can only add to West End’s growing reputation as Brisbane’s premier dining destination.

Get in quick before it becomes too popular, and you have to book days in advance.

Soi 9 Thai
65 Hardgrave Road West End
Tel: 3846 5585
Open 7 Days
BYO License