Tas Government presents threat to political transparency
The Tasmanian government has banned journalists from lingering in parliament or talking to MPs without an appointment.
Speaker Sue Hickey issued the guidelines yesterday, which also restrict when the media can take photos in parliament, and bans filming anywhere in the building without permission.
The Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance’s Mark Thomas says the media were not consulted about the changes, which will limit their ability to report on state politics.
Connecting Routes Denied
The Brisbane City Council has denied the possible introduction of a council founded ferry between Bulimba and Teneriffe despite more than 500 residents petitioning for it.
The proposed plan was to be a free cross river ferry from the two stops, similar to the City Hopper. However Chairman Adrian Schrinner said the already existing services connecting Bulimba and Teneriffe are not underutilised and both areas do not need a patronage boost.
Abortion Made Legal in Queensland
Abortion has been decriminalised in Queensland after two days of debate in state parliament.
Last night, the laws were eventually passed by 50 votes to 41. Under the changes, abortion will be made a health issue—allowing women to terminate pregnancies up to 22 weeks’ gestation. Terminations after 22 weeks will be allowed with the approval of two independent doctors.
Safe zones around clinics and medical facilities will also be established to prevent staff and patients from being harassed by anti-abortion activists.
Abortion Made Legal in Queensland
Image Source: David Jackmanson
Kath Bloom & Loren Connors: Restless, Faithful, Desperate
- Melbourne label Chapter Music deliver a long-awaited vinyl reissue of the short run Kath Bloom & Loren Connors 1984 record Restless Faithful Desperate. The label previously issued the album on CD in 2009, but this vinyl pressing marks the first time that the record will be available outside of the absurdly hard to find original two-hundred-copies released in 1983 on Connor’s own St. Joan label.
Cat Power: Wanderer
- When Chan Marshall (Cat Power) finished Wanderer, and showed it to her (former) record label (Matador), it was rejected. The label was allegedly concerned about a lack of hits and even went so far as to give Marshall an Adele album so she could hear what a pop album should sound like. It wasn’t the first time a record label made a poor decision. Warner Bros.
Clarence Clarity: THINK : PEACE
- For those who heard it, Clarence Clarity's debut album was a revelation. No Now fused 2000's r'n'b aesthetics with an experimental sensibility and endlessly layered production. Each song was drenched in rich instrumentation, shimmering guitars and effect-laden vocals expertly draped over a pop frame for twenty mind-bending tracks.
Marie Davidson: Working Class Woman
- Punchy bass and drifting field recordings in Italian are the opening salvo of Working Class Woman (the new longplayer by Montreal’s Marie Davidson on iconic UK label Ninja Tune), before a tongue-in-cheek, accented English voice starts to play the part of annoying hanger-on-at-the-booth: "you're so strange...you remind me of...oh yeah I heard you at that thing...man, I think she's faking her accent...are you doing a DJ set tonight?!..is this album about taking risks..?" plus some unprintable whispered swearing in French.
Tradies and Artists - Music on Sundays QSO
Rossini Overture to Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville)
Britten Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, op.33a, II. Sunday morning
R. Strauss Concerto No.1 in E-flat major for Horn & Orchestra, op.11, TrV 117, I. Allegro
Review: Nearer the Gods
The World premiere of Nearer the Gods and it being the inaugural play in the new Billie Brown Theatre, was an exciting and much anticipated event. In the words of the playwright David Williamson “Nearer the Gods is about brilliance and bastardry. The toxic disconnect between our highest and basest potentials.” But it is much more, highlighting the treachery and rivalry involved at the dawn of scientific illumination and set in 1684.