NEW DIRECTION

🔴🟠🟡🟢🔵🟣⚫️ NEW DIRECTION Ed. No. 190

- RUBBING SHOULDERS WITH THE GLITTERATI

"I'll rip ya' bloody arms off"

- Aunty Jack ABCTV (Circa early 1970's)

GRAHAME BOND THE MAN BEHIND AUNTY JACK / PIC: ABC TV Circa early 1970's

HOLLYWOOD East

(Stanley Street, Darlinghurst, Sydney)

'Cafe Society' is alive and well in Darlinghurst. I've been having a streak of coffee house experiences of late. I happened to be standing next to Australian singer Marcia Hines the other day. Her confident delivery and toy breed of dog carried under her arm gave her away.

And come to think of it Stanley Street, Darlo is one place to see the glitterati when in Sydney.

I've walked past Russell Crowe, witnessed newsreader Ian Ross incognito and said hello to Sydney's Lord Mayor Clover Moore more recently. Actor Luke Carroll was in for a coffee and only last week I could give a warm acknowledgement to Grahame Bond (Aunty Jack) sharing a coffee with a friend. There have been others over the years such as actor Max Cullen who used to live in the area and regular coffee shop visitor artist and two time Archibald Winner the late Kevin Conner. Even "The Rock" sauntered up the street one day. Eartha Kit also comes to mind.

Stanley Street is one of those sorts of places.

I do too recollect travelling up Stanley Street in the 389 bus with Sam Mostyn the Governor General of Australia sitting right next to me about twelve months ago.

And that experience left me in two minds.

I could have taken the opportunity to say hello to her and suggest that we might consider hosting a "World Expo" in Sydney under the theme of "RECONNECTION to our larger world environment, each other but most importantly to ourselves"

...but I didn't for a couple of reasons.

To have value and any real meaning any creative endeavour has to have the support of an entirely huge range of the Australian spectrum. It doesn't mean anything if it doesn't have this essential support. If we think someone else is going to get the ball rolling then surprise, this is the brave new world where, we all share a greater responsibility individually.

I don't think it's my place to impose myself on the Governor General's space. I've done enough. (My focus is now on my planned farewell Retrospective and moving to New Zealand.)

Neither do I believe it is the G.G.'s job in Australia as the King's representative to get the ball rolling on such a proposal. It is the grass roots Australians job to see and understand the value of such a suggestion and show their support for such a proposal. I mean we should most assuredly invite King Charles to be our welcome guest at such an event. But aren't we past seeking the approval of our "daddies"?

Such an event should be our party that we take responsibility for initiating and running in our own uniquely Australian way. Shouldn't it be this way?

We need more positive stories being told about our human family if we are to survive the future that is now upon us. Homework time. - Neville Williams