DECEMBER 2018 & JANUARY 2019 ISSUE 81 PRICELESS WWW.SOUTHBANKLOCALNEWS.COM.AU : SOUTHBANK_News The voice of Southbank, South Wharf & Montague ■ Emphatic win for Foley ■ Progressive push Page 3 Page 10 ■ A Southbank mastermind ■ Escher X nendo @ NGV Page 6 Arts Precinct Supplement Get on board Arbory Afloat for NYE! In what has become a spectacular local summer sensation and a welcome activation of the Yarra River, the team at Arbory is inviting locals to celebrate this New Year's Eve at Arbory Afloat. Find out how you can spend the night on the Yarra dancing under the fireworks on page 29. Traction gained on hoon cyclists By Sean Car Stage one, which is independent from Crown With Southbank Boulevard to provide a talks between council’s engineering services Southbank’s perennial Resort’s and Schiavello’s development plans safer and faster route to cyclists, a council and the Yarra River Business Association surrounding Queensbridge Square, would spokesperson told Southbank Local News (YRBA), which has lobbied council for many headache of getting speeding see a 300-metre section between Princess that an awareness campaign would be years in an effort to prevent what it calls the cyclists off Southbank Bridge and Evan Walker Bridge torn up in launched prior to promenade construction “lycra brigade” from using the promenade. the second half of 2019. works to educate cyclists on the changes. Promenade may have finally Speaking at the YRBA’s business luncheon As well as replacing the pavement, improved The expectation is that by the time the last month, Lord Mayor Sally Capp said turned a corner thanks to a growing conditions for trees and installing promenade is re-opened, there will be a high that council had “a plan moving forward” new cycling plan currently better lighting, the scope of the works will level of awareness that Southbank Boulevard to provide feasible alternatives for cyclists also include creating a greater division of provides a better alternative. currently using the promenade. in the works at the City of space between people riding bikes and “These investments into protected “What does that mean? We’ll be able to take pedestrians. Melbourne. bicycle lanes in our city will boost cycling those hard-core cyclists and commuter With 1.2km of new dedicated bicycle participation and are imperative as our city cyclists off the promenade by giving them a The new strategy is being integrated as a lanes to be completed late next year as grows,” the council spokesperson said. legitimate alternative pathway in and around part of the council’s design works to upgrade part of the current Southbank Boulevard the city. I think that’s going to be fantastic for “Melbourne is a cycling city and our cycling Southbank Promenade, which are expected transformation, it’s understood that the everyone,” Cr Capp said. infrastructure needs to be safe to support to be completed mid-2019 and considered temporary closure of the promenade is being those who cycle in the city.” According to council data from 2017, more for funding as part of the 2019/20 council timed to force speeding cyclists into the budget. boulevard. The news has emerged following renewed Continued on page 7. Honest wine, craft beer, artisan spirits NEW 22 Fanning Street SOUTHBANK STORE Open 7 Days NOW www.actofwine.com.au OPEN 2 SOUTHBANK LOCAL NEWS ISSUE 81 Upgrade for red stairs Despite plans to demolish them in the future, the City of Melbourne will invest up to $10,000 to refurbish Southbank’s infamous Red Stairs at Queensbridge Square. Suite 108, 198 Harbour Esplanade The news comes after Crown Resorts all but later told Southbank Local News: “The City PO Box 23008 Docklands 8012 confirmed in its October annual report that of Melbourne will complete minor repairs Tel: 8689 7980 Fax: 9602 2929 its plans to build Australia’s tallest tower and painting on the postmodern Red Stair www.southbanklocalnews.com.au at 1 Queensbridge St, which includes $100 amphitheatre at Queensbridge Square, million in “public benefits” for Southbank, Southbank.” Editor: Sean Car remains subject to financing. “The purpose of the maintenance is to The $1 billion development was granted reinvigorate the Red Stair amphitheatre Publisher: Hyperlocal News Pty Ltd planning exemption in 2017 as a “state while the area undergoes further changes. ABN: 57623558725 significant” project largely on the basis that The City of Melbourne is investing up to Tel: 8689 7980 Fax: 9602 2929 it funds the redevelopment of Queensbridge $10,000 in the maintenance of the Red Stair [email protected] Square, Sandridge Bridge and Southbank amphitheatre.” Promenade. Reader contributions are welcome. The City of Melbourne had flagged upgrades Please send articles and images to With Crown’s permit set to expire in March to the Southbank precinct surrounding [email protected] 2019, Southbank Residents’ Association Freshwater Place for years prior to Crown’s (SRA) president Tony Penna asked Lord commitment and the ongoing delays Deadline for edition 82 is January 31. Mayor Sally Capp at November’s Yarra River have left both council and local residents Business Association (YRBA) event whether frustrated. council had a contingency plan in place. The Red Stairs at Queensbridge Square. CONNECT Council’s chair of planning Cr Nicholas “We haven’t yet had any formal notification that council had committed to refurbishing Reece told Southbank Local News in October Keep up to date with local news & events. from Crown although we do know that their them while it awaited more news from that there was only so long the council could permit expires in March next year so we Crown and project partners Schiavello. tolerate Crown and Schiavello’s delay in Follow us on Twitter are preparing ourselves for some of those “We’re going to undertake our own program upgrading Queensbridge Square. @SOUTHBANK_News discussions at the moment,” Cr Capp said. of works to at least refurbish those [the red At its annual general meeting (AGM) on “We haven’t worked out the $100 million stairs] in the short term so at least what Like us on Facebook November 1, Crown Resorts executive contingency yet but we’ve certainly made a is looking a bit tired at the moment at Southbank Local News chairman John Alexander said: “We have commitment to do some works ourselves.” least looks a bit smarter while we wait to active conversations going on, I can’t put understand what’s going to happen,” she Like us on Instagram Despite future plans to demolish the red a timeframe on how and when that will said. SouthbankLocalNews stairs as part of the transformation of happen and I’m not going to speculate on Southbank Boulevard, the Lord Mayor said A spokesperson for the City of Melbourne the status of the permit.” your bill when you post a picture of one of our new menu items on social media. Monday: 7am-4pm Tuesday: 7am-4pm Wednesday: 7am-4pm Thursday: 7am-Late New menu Friday: 7am-Late Brunch All Day Saturday: 8am-Late Dinner: Thurs/Fri/Sat Sunday: 8am-4pm ISSUE 81 SOUTHBANK LOCAL NEWS 3 Emphatic win for Foley and the Labor Party in the 2014 election, with candidate and City the positive and progressive plans to build a Labor’s Martin Foley has been of Port Phillip Cr Ogy Simic recording 6110 better Victoria.” primary votes. returned to the seat of Albert “Here in Albert Park that means upgrades The results in Albert Park were reflective of at Port Melbourne and St Kilda Primary Park as our local member a state-wide swing against the Liberal Party, Schools, a new secondary school and for a fourth consecutive term with Labor claiming a landslide 56 of 88 seats community hospital for Fishermans Bend, a following his party’s historic in the Victorian lower house. new community and education performing Mr Foley has retained his cabinet folios as arts centre at Gasworks Arts Park, victory at the November State the Minister for Equality, Mental Health redeveloping St Kilda Pier, new separated bike lanes down St Kilda Rd, two new pocket Election. and the Creative Industries, while two of his Martin Foley on election day. folios, Housing and Disability and Ageing, parks and so much more.” have been taken over by Richard Wynne and A crushing 11 per cent swing towards Labor As reported widely in other media, Liberal the Liberal Party generally across the State, Luke Donnellan respectively. in Albert Park saw Mr Foley defeat Liberal candidate Cr Andrew Bond made headlines I enjoyed participating in the democratic candidate and City of Port Phillip Cr Andrew “I want to thank the people of Albert Park for with a scathing post-election review of his process, the many community forums, and Bond with 63 per cent of the two-candidate the confidence they have shown in me and party’s campaign whereby he declared that meeting so many new residents particularly preferred vote. the Andrews Labor Government,” Mr Foley Matthew Guy was “unelectable”. in Southbank and Docklands.” said. Receiving 16,174 primary votes and a total Mr Bond told Southbank Local News that Greens candidate Cr Ogy Simic said the 23,482 votes following preference flows, “They made it overwhelmingly clear that while he was disappointed by the result, he outcome in Albert Park and the state Mr Foley comprehensively outpolled his fear-mongering and scare campaigns have had enjoyed participating in the democratic generally was a positive one for his party and opponent at every voting booth in the no place in our community. This is a place process in his local community. progressive politics. electorate. In Southbank, Mr Foley recorded where values such as inclusivity, fairness and “I would like to congratulate Martin Foley “Despite being massively outspent by the 554 more votes than Cr Bond as preferred hard work are what matters.” on his re-election as the member for Albert major parties, we held our vote from 2014 in candidate.