It’s after midnight and I’m having a glass of wine to try and wind down a bit after a very busy day’s work in the Tally Room for the NSW Election. Although I guess everyone knew the overall result several weeks ago, confirmed with this week’s opinion polls, there were some interesting competitions to observe, including Goulburn, Murray-Darling, Tweed, Pittwater and Manly.
A far bigger surprise occurred earlier today when I went to vote at my nearby Bourke Street Primary School. Joining the fairly lengthy queue which extended outside the door, I suddenly found myself whisked to the front of the queue and able to vote within seconds. The issue, you see, is that as a registered voter in “Sydney” I was a bit of a rarity. In a queue of maybe 50 people, almost all were registered in other seats.
Media pass for the NSW Election Tally Room
I was glad I was able to go to the front of the queue, because I was just about to knock a bloke on the head (no, not really), who was standing behind me who was telling his girlfriend how to vote. “Now, you need to vote for Clover on the small paper, and for the Liberals on the large paper”. I don’t care about his choices, it’s just that he was telling his girlfriend how she should vote. Is this 2007 or 1907, I wondered for a moment.
Although I normally vote by putting in every number ticket for the Upper House (I’ll direct my preferences, thankyou!) I was a little lazy this time, just putting a #1 for my first choice and letting them do all the hard work.
What also surprised me today was the presence on the Upper House ballot of groups like Unity & Australians Against Further Immigration. I hadn’t realised both parties were running again.
When I arrived at the Tally Room this afternoon I also noticed they had been allocated seating places for the night, though I don’t recall if they were actually next to each other. It would have demonstrated a wonderfully wicked sense of humour by the State Electoral Office had that occurred.
Surprisingly it was a reasonably long night, although the overall result was clear quite early. At the last NSW election, I recall, the Leader’s Speeches were at about 8.45 and 9.05pm, while this time they were roughly an hour later. We were all quite relieved when at last they occured, as it had been a long day.
This wasn’t the only competition I’ve been to this week, though.
On Thursday night I caught up with my mate Paul after work for a couple of beers. It had been a long day and I was feeling a little thirsty. I also hadn’t seen Paul for a couple of weeks, so what better way to combine the two than to meet for an afternoon beer at the Newtown Hotel.
After a couple of beers and a meal at the nearby vegetarian restaurant he asked if I wanted to stay for the Amateur Unisex Stripper Night. Sure, why not? Little did I know we would be soon watching a 60 year old female stripper who showed more than many of the gay boys in the audience felt comfortable with. Little did I know we would soon be seeing a former member of Manpower (or so he claimed) who would also make many of the gay boys in the audience feel uncomfortable. “I’m turning straight”, I overheard one say, when the Manpower bloke did his stuff.
Sign announcing the Amateur Strip Night at the Newtown Hotel, Sydney, Australia
But so fascinating was the night that I’m probably going to go again next Thursday for the Grand Final. And unlike tonight’s competition, it will be good to see a competition that I don’t already know the results for.
It’s Saturday night in Lismore. It’s still warm. I’ve just watched “The Bill”. There’s a few things to report from the last few days, so I thought I’d take the time to write a few words.
New Years Eve? I spent that watching television – “Absolutely Fabulous” and “Gimme Gimme Gimme” were screening on ABC-TV which made for a very nice and relaxed way to see out the new year. I watched the Sydney fireworks on television and felt, briefly, that perhaps I should have gone back to Sydney.
The sound of the “Tropical Fruits” dance party – held at the Lismore Showground – was, however, a pleasant reminder that a quiet life can also be a good one. The music was loud enough to keep me awake for a while. Although I had toyed with the idea of going to the party, I’m glad I didn’t as I’m sure it could have turned out to be a messy experience. Photographs in the newspaper over the last few days have suggested to me it was a combination of dirty smelly lezzo hippies and dance party boys that would have made me feel a little uncomfortable.
I did, however, go out on the gay scene last night, visiting the karaoke night at “The Winsome”. It was actually quite enjoyable, although the crowd was the sort of crowd I wouldn’t think twice about hanging around with in Sydney. I don’t mean that in a bitchy way, I just mean if I walked into a bar and saw the same twenty people sitting there I would have walked to another bar or have moved on. I hope that reads okay and doesn’t make me sound like a total bitch… but you know what I mean.
The only other things I have done over the last few days are watch television and read the newspapers… and occasionally hop onto the internet.
“I woke up and thought for half a second of taking a sickie”, a bloke at work said to me as we took the lift together this morning. I knew exactly what he meant because I had the same feelings an hour or so earlier. However, I have a reasonably strong work ethic, and far too much on at the moment to even think about having a day at home.
“It took me an hour to get to work” he told me, complaining about the sluggishness of the road system. “We don’t cope well with the rain in Sydney”, I suggested.
And we don’t. I had to go looking for an umbrella this morning and all I could find was a busted one which I had to hold open myself. It’s my “big gay umbrella” as I like to call it, a reference to the rainbow flag design. All of my other umbrellas were in my office at work, as that’s generally what happens in Sydney. Generally, it’s raining in the morning, so you take your umbrella to work, and then you leave it there, because it’s generally dry by the afternoon. But there are times of the year – like now – where it just keeps raining and raining.
I like the rain at night. In fact, I love the rain at night. I’ll often sleep with the window slightly open so I can take in the smells and slight chill of the rain at night, as well as the sounds. I almost feel like I’m back in the country again. But when it comes to daytime, ugh.
And you can see it around town in the ways in which people cope with the rain. You see a lot of broken down umbrellas when it rains in Sydney. Others will jump from cover to cover, as the idea of owning an umbrella almost seems foreign. There was one bloke on the bus this morning whose “rain strategy” was a baseball cap.
There was a bright moment in the otherwise glum day, however, as I caught up with Cellobella who has been in Sydney for the blogger’s conference. “There were so many amazing stories” she told me, of the people who had bared their souls after years of domestic abuse or had recovered from a serious illness. We both agreed our stories about weather and pop music pale into comparison. Still, we love doing it.
It’s been a take-away pizza night for me and a bit of television watching. I’m a little congested at the moment – I think it’s a bit of hayfever – so I’m feeling a little sluggish myself. Or maybe it’s the combination of the rain and a rather amazing full moon?
I was definitely back in “work mode” today, as I attended “Radio Days Europe”. It’s the first ever meeting of commercial and public sector broadcasters in Europe. By a show of hands, it was 30/70 today.
It’s a conference I read about a few months ago, wrote to one of the organisers asking if they accepted registrations from outside Europe, and then after a few more emails was asked if I would like to participate in one of the forums. I’m speaking tomorrow at 12 noon.
Today I got to meet some of the people I’ve been corresponding with online, got to meet a lovely woman who runs local radio in Copenhagen, met some cool guys from Switzerland, and also to chat with a couple of people I’ve met previously.
And along the way, I tweeted and took far too many photographs to share here tonight. I’ll be revealing more to my colleagues back in Australia when I return. In the meantime, this is what I learned along the way through my various tweets.
85% of all uk listening inc mp3 is radio #radiodayseurope
One of today’s early speeches came from Tim Davie, Director Radio (despite his title) for the BBC, who explained there was room for optimism in radio, depsite concerns young people aren’t listening as much as they used to. He explained research showed that 85% of all listening time, which incuded mp3, CD, etc, was actually to radio.
Bbc radio emphasises content partnerships with tv museums #radiodayseurope
Tim Davie spoke about some of the content partnerships the BBC had entered into, including a terrific series about objects in the British Museum.
Uk radio player featuring both com and public radio #radiodayseurope
He also anticipated the common radio player, due to be released in Beta in the European summer, which allows for the BBC and the commercial sector to compete in an online environment.
Radio is no longer medium for new music trends (worry) #radiodayseurope
There was some worrying research, though, that radio was no longer the place where people went for new music.
New swedish radio website integrates player in site. Player is site is player.#radiodayseurope
The next presentation was from a woman involved in the re-design of the website for Swedish radio. She explained how they couldn’t see a reason for separating the website from the audio player, as often occurs with radio websites, so they have integrated the two in the design for their new site.
Love the idea of music hack day at swedish radio #radiodayseurope
One of the many things she spoke about was a day when they invited ordinary developers and hackers to come in to play with their music station websites. I think this sounds like such a great idea, a bit like they do with Google, WordPress and other companies I admire.
Tim Davie from BBC talks about radio at the crossroads
Tim Davie from BBC is interviewed
Some of the psycho-social profiles they did in reworking Swedish radio website
The new look Swedish radio website to be launched later
The UK plans a combined commercial and BBC radio player, as Nick Piggott explains
Lunchtime
Katarine Grafmann talks about the research she has done into Swedish teens
One of the Swedish teens she quoted
Filippo Solibello talks about the radio show he does in Italy
Jacob Loje from Danish radio station P5000
Some of the audience attending Radio Days
Talking about a digital future for radio in Europe
The different digital radio platforms around the world
Can music radio handle Spotify
Central square in Copenhagen ahead of tonight’s reception
Everyone loved the indoors of the town hall in Copenhagen
The reception at the town hall
Something about Mary in the Danish papers today
New uk player based on mp3 and aac to deliver flash#radiodayseurope
And then Nick Piggott spoke about the new common radio player for the web in the UK.
New uk radio player seeks to be google for radio #radiodayseurope
He explained they wanted it to be like google for radio, and that when you went looking for a song or an event, you would – thanks to the metadata – be able to find it straight away. He explained that if you went looking for Janet Jackson (goodness knows why) you should be able to find the radio station that would player her next.
Sat with group of danish local radio managers for lunch. World too small. #radiodayseurope
Over lunch I sat with a group of people doing a similar job to my own. The woman from Copenhagen described her station which sounded not unlike 702 ABC Sydney.
Teens blur the line between production and consumption of media #radiodayseurope
We then heard some further research about how young Swedes, in particular, use radio. The research, done mostly through participant observation, revealed that young people “produce” all of their lives.
Love the concert of creating faceradio as in facebook #radiodayseurope
And the researcher offered that we should be creating a Facebook of radio, not putting ourselves on Facebook. We need something as revolutionary as Facebook to create radio as a space where young people want to be.
Love idea of italian radio show with teen reporters around the world and only indie music. #radiodayseurope
We then heard from a bloke from Italian radio who spoke about the listener involvement of his audience. Even though he is 37 and his co-host 51, they have an active audience or 15-24 year olds who act as “citizen journalists” reporting for the program from around the world.
Danish youth station p5000 operates with three hosts on two hour loop. Lots of club sounds. #radiodayseurope
And from there, it was a speaker who talked about a new Danish radio station that employs just three hosts, one of whom he described as Denmark’s answer to Paris Hilton, but with larger breasts.
Radio needs to be confident and aggressive with government about digital radio standards says bbc bloke #radiodayseurope
The next segment had me really confused, as a group of people spoke about the digital roadmap for Europe. At the moment, in something straight of “Yes Minister”, the panel described the different competing platforms in different countries. The bloke from BBC said they needed to agree on a common standard, a hybrid of DAB and IP (he said the UK has missed the boat on DAB+), and actively promote it domestically. While it would be good to have the EU behind it, he argued, there was more to be gained from having the political debate locally.
Head spinning after digital radio for europe discussion. Lot to be said for island nation continent. #radiodayseurope
Ditto
Digital ghetto speaker says he is going to make people angry with his views. #radiodayseurope
The next speaker from Finland told the organiser just before he started he would challenge a lot of people’s views and make them angry, as he described the lost opportunities with digital radio. He said, they should have pursued the path of CD technology, where Phillips and Sony (on two continents) worked together. Did he make them angry?
He didnt #radiodayseurope
And finally, there was panel of how music radio could compete with Spotify. Unfortunately, there was no one from Spotify on the panel, and no one on the panel actually appeared to be from a country where Spotify operates.
Unlike spotify etc music radio remains human says danish p3 head. #radiodayseurope
And finally, a comment about why music radio remains important when people have ipods.
Mass radio important because people want things to talk about says ken benson #radiodayseurope
Wow. What a day. I enjoyed it immensely.
Great day. Now for a beer. #radiodayseurope
And there was a official reception tonight at the Town Hall which was a very nice vanue.
I don’t think I’ve ever made it through passport control that quickly. It helped I was in one of the first few rows of economy class. It helped that ours was the only flight arriving at that time of night. And it helped, that I had only carry-on luggage. Even so, it was literally less than three minutes from when I joined the security queue to the moment when I emerged on “the other side”. I couldn’t believe my luck. And from there it was maybe a 10 minute walk to the Metro, where I purchased a five day pass. Half an hour later, and I was at the Bilbao Metro station, roughly 100 metres from my hotel, the Ibis Madrid Centro.
Though I toyed with the idea of going out for a walk around the streets to enjoy some of that legendary Spanish nightlife, the lure of a new hotel room with a good bed was too much. Instead, I opened the window, and simply enjoyed the sounds from the street below. On the fourth floor, I was high enough for the sounds to be pleasant, not annoying.
As always, I woke early. About 5.30am. Looking out the window it was still dark, and the moon was close to full. Checking online, I discovered sunrise isn’t until about 8.00am at the moment. So armed with that bit of information, and the freshness that comes from a good night’s sleep, I went for a walk around the nearby streets. There were still people out and about from the night before. Though a few people looked a little worse for wear, I felt no sense of aggression or anxiety.
When the sun finally arrived, I headed back downstairs for breakfast, and then into town to take part in one of the New Europe Free Walking Tours. “How many have done one of these before?”, our tour guide asked. Almost everyone, it seems. The first one I did was in Berlin in 2008, and since then I’ve done quite a few others. Though they’re called “free walking tours”, there’s an expectation you’ll tip the guide, and you’ll listen to some of their propaganda about other tours where you pay up front.
Ramon The Tour Guide
I was more than happy to leave a healthy tip for our tour guide, Ramón. 26 years old, and born in Argentina, he came to Madrid “about twelve years ago”, he explained. Articulate, well rehearsed, and with a wicked sense of humour, he was our guide for almost three hours, taking in some of the main tourist sites. He also provided us with terrific background on many things, including the emergence of tapas (one of the kings insisted bars provide food with alcohol to ensure worker productivity). I also asked him about the many flags around Madrid at the moment. He explained there are many reasons why people fly flags, ranging from pure and simple patriotism to neo-facism. “We have the same thing in Australia”, I told him.
Catholic Cathedral, MadridChristianity meets Islam in Madrid
After the tour I headed to the Vodafone shop to pick up a local SIM card. Though the wait was excruciating, the experience was made easier by having a charming, handsome sales assistant. It was so cute when he called out my name as “harmez”, and then corrected himself. I swear, I’ve fallen in love a thousand times since arriving in Madrid. The men here are very handsome. They’re also much shorter than I expected, and there’s also more cultural diversity than I expected, with many of the people on the tour, and many of the people I’ve since encountered, coming from South America.
At around 3.00 to 3.15, I finally settled in for lunch. Jamon. Olives. A couple of beers. I walked off the tourist strip to a nearby neighbourhood bar that was full of lots of older people, ordering large amounts of food, enjoying their wines and beers, and much, much laughter. It was about then I thought to myself, “I get this Spanish thing now”. It brought a smile to my face, an ear to ear grin.
I felt similarly when I wandered out last night for a drink and a bit of people watching. Unlike many other large cities in the world, Madrid still appears to have a significant “gay area”, centred around the street, Calle Pelayo. I had a beer at Pepito Grillo Cafe (an intimate bar attracting an older male crowd) before heading to LL Bar (attracting a range of ages for their drag shows).
When I arrived at LL there was only a handful of people, and it was at least an hour or so before many others started to arrive. In the first couple of hours, I got chatting to a guy from Colombia. He was in his 40s/50s, and he told me it was his first time in Europe. At first, he thought I was from Estonia, which I’ll put down to my poor diction. Later, during the drag show, he was my “translator” for the many songs and jokes in Spanish. There was a lovely buzz in the room.
As I wandered home, around 1.00am, there were large numbers of people still on the streets. The bars were still open, but many people were outside, enjoying the fresh air. “Would you like to buy some beers”, one of a number of young men said, as I walked by. This surprised me, as I’m sure I passed a number of shops still selling alcohol. In the midst of all these people, there was, again, no sense of anger or anxiety, and I didn’t see any alcohol-related violence. There you go Sydney, it’s possible.
“I think she might be Scomo’s biggest mistake”, an “old leftie” whispered into my ear at the Andrew Olle Media Lecture.
There was a perception, rightly or wrongly, that the appointment of Ita Buttrose as ABC Chair was simply another political appointment and that Ita would do the “government’s bidding”. Indeed, the appointment was a “captain’s pick” by the Prime Minister, made outside the process which had been established for ABC and SBS board appointments.
From my own perspective, I was pleased to see someone with CONSIDERABLE media experience had been appointed, instead of someone who was there as an obvious “political appointment”.
During her speech, reflecting on her career, Ita spoke about a range of experiences, including her career as a journalist and editor, and strongly defended public broadcasting. She got a standing ovation, and clearly the support of my former ABC colleague who might otherwise have been sceptical about some of the more recent ABC board appointments.
It’s been a few years now since I attended the Andrew Olle Media Lecture. Thanks, COVID! But it was wonderful to get dressed up again, catch the bus to The Ivy, hang out with some previous and current colleagues, and meet some new people.
The other big event I attended yesterday was the launch at the Sydney Opera House of World Pride. As the ABC is the Media Partner for the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras (and World Pride) for three years, we were asked to send a group of people to the launch, and contribute to the creation of a human version of the progress flag.
Pic : Harriet Tatham, ABC News. ABC Pride at the World Pride launch at Sydney Opera House. Along with ground-breaking activist, Peter de Waal. He appeared in the first “same sex kiss” on Australian TV, on Chequerboard. Pic : Harriet Tatham, ABC News.
Post Script
With thanks to Karran, here’s South Lismore Public School (1971-1977 for me) at tonight’s Lantern Parade in Lismore. Still attending Goonellbah, as the school is still closed, but still strong and proud. Go Southies!!
Following on from my “Retrospective ‘Cool'” blog post I thought I’d share some of the Australian songs I truly love. This my alternative “Hottest 100” list, a collection of tracks that hold genuine meaning and memories for me, presented in no particular order.
Treaty – Yothu Yindi I vividly remember dancing to this song, especially in nightclubs, driven by its iconic dance remix. Beyond the pure joy it brought, “Treaty,” released in 1991 by the Yolngu band Yothu Yindi, remains a powerful and essential statement on Indigenous land rights and reconciliation. It’s a song that moves both your feet and your soul.
Somebody That I Used to Know – Gotye (feat. Kimbra) This song isn’t just amazing; the video clip is a masterpiece in itself. It’s simply fantastic. And that line: “You can get addicted to a certain kind of sadness…” What a lyric! It captures a raw, undeniable truth.
Pleasure and Pain – The Divinyls “Lover, lover, why do you touch? Please don’t ask me how I’ve been getting off.” These lyrics, delivered with Chrissy Amphlett’s raw and unforgettable vocals, make “Pleasure and Pain” a truly fantastic and classic 1985 rock anthem. It bravely explores the complexities of desire and remains a powerful track.
Love at First Sight – Kylie Minogue Honestly, this is one of Kylie’s most fantastic songs. A vibrant 2002 dance-pop hit from her album Fever, it’s infectious, uplifting, and perfectly encapsulates the pure exhilaration of an instant connection. It just makes you want to move.
I Am Woman – Helen Reddy An iconic 1972 feminist anthem, “I Am Woman” became a powerful rallying cry for women’s liberation, asserting strength and independence. I recall being at a gay and lesbian karaoke night years later, watching younger lesbians attempt to sing it but falter on the words. It was the older gay men who confidently took over, singing every lyric with passion! A truly memorable moment.
Smiley – Ronnie Burns This poignant 1971 anti-war song by Ronnie Burns beautifully reflects on the devastating loss of innocence experienced by young soldiers, particularly poignant during the Vietnam War era. Its message still resonates deeply.
Tenterfield Saddler – Peter Allen Peter Allen’s deeply personal 1972 ballad is a beautiful tribute to his saddler grandfather, weaving rich themes of family, heritage, and the relentless passage of time. As a country boy myself, much of the lyric deeply resonated. And oh, the tragedy within the lines: “It’s easier to drink than go crazy… George had no answers why a son ever has need of a gun…” It brings tears to my eyes every single time.
Polyester Girl – Regurgitator I absolutely adore this song. At a time when much of the music scene felt predictable, “Polyester Girl” burst through with an energy and creativity that was so much more interesting and captivating. It was a refreshing breath of fresh air.
From Little Things Big Things Grow – Paul Kelly and The Messengers (feat. Kev Carmody) If I had to choose just one Paul Kelly song, it would undoubtedly be “From Little Things Big Things Grow,” especially the version with Kev Carmody. This song is incredibly meaningful, and I deeply connect with its powerful sentiment and message of resilience and justice. It’s a significant anthem for social change, recounting the Gurindji people’s struggle for land rights.
Blue Sky Mine – Midnight Oil While “Blue Sky Mine” is a globally renowned 1987 protest song by Midnight Oil, addressing Indigenous land rights and environmental issues, it’s Genevieve Lemon’s version that truly touched me. Her rendition allows the powerful lyrics to stand out much more prominently than with Midnight Oil’s rock band background, making the message even more impactful.
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Oh my gah. I might need to join you for next week’s final!
Oh my gah. I might need to join you for next week’s final!
OK, let’s do it. The first stripper appears at 8.30pm.
It’s a date. Hopefully no sexagenarians this time!
Dinner first?
Sounds good to me. Chat Thursday to confirm details?