The lessons from today…

Working from home today meant I could pop into my local Japanese spot for an entrée-sized sashimi. Even though I’ve been eating Japanese food for years, I realised quickly after taking the first bite that I was never really sure about the correct order in which to eat the different types of fish.

So, I ran it by Google Gemini, and here is the breakdown it gave me:

• 1. Whitefish (Bottom Center): Start with the lighter, leaner white fish (such as kingfish or snapper) as its delicate flavour won’t overwhelm your palate.
• 2. Tuna (Right): Move on to the tuna (maguro), which has a firmer texture and a clean, slightly deeper flavour profile.
• 3. Salmon (Top Left): Finish the fish with the salmon, as its higher fat content makes it the richest and most robust-tasting option on the plate.
• Palate Cleansers: Enjoy a small piece of pickled ginger (gari) between different types of fish to reset your palate. Wasabi can be mixed into your soy sauce or dabbed directly onto individual pieces of sashimi as you go.

It was genuinely helpful, and it’s a handy trick I’m sure to keep in mind for the future.

Later this evening, I headed out to another Politics In The Pub event organised by Alex Greenwich, my local member of state parliament. Among the panellists was Adam Worling, a councillor for the City of Sydney—who, as it turns out, was actually in the year below me at South Lismore Primary School.

E-bikes were a major talking point at the last event I attended, and they came up again tonight with representatives from Lime in the audience. Overall, the main topics of discussion included:

• Share Bike Systems and Local Management: Implementing a dockless shared bike system across the City of Sydney local government area, teaching residents how to report improperly parked or damaged bikes directly through the council website or operators like Lime, and pushing for quick response times from companies.
• Anti-Discrimination Laws and Reforms: Support for federal legislation by Allegra Spender to amend the Sex Discrimination Act for private schools, alongside commitments to introduce state-level legislation next term to remove exemptions allowing private schools to discriminate based on pregnancy, divorce status, and LGBTQIA+ status, coupled with calls for stronger hate crime protections.
• Community Safety and Local Support: Keeping the local LGBTQIA+ and wider community safe amid rising physical and political violence, supporting grassroots and independent queer spaces, backing local businesses (such as local bookshops), calling out online bullying, utilising “glow” members within the New South Wales Police for reporting, and introducing safety initiatives like “Ask for Angela” in local venues.
• Urban Activation and Public Space: Proposals for public seating and furniture for non-hospitality venues to encourage community connection without requiring a purchase, and closing off streets like Foley Street on weekends for markets and local activations.
• Housing Density and State Significant Developments (SSDs): The controversial state government planning processes and the Housing Development Authority, the loss of affordable housing and historical buildings in the inner city due to high-end developments, how residents can organise and submit feedback, and alternative solutions like utilising state-owned land for affordable housing.
• Parking Levies and Small Business Issues: Practical frustrations faced by small business owners, including unexpected state government levies on unused commercial or residential car parking spaces.

There was a great crowd in attendance, and the venue—upstairs at The Beresford Hotel—was ideal and close by. A couple of my neighbours were there too, and it was lovely to chat with them somewhere other than the elevator or the garbage room. And this time, we were all given a ticket that allowed for a free drink/glass of wine.

One of the most interesting takeaways of the night was learning about the Ask for Angela campaign, which is about to launch across roughly 10 venues in the local area, coordinated locally by Lorraine Locke.

It is an internationally recognised patron safety initiative designed to help people discreetly seek assistance if they feel unsafe, threatened, or vulnerable in social venues like pubs, clubs, and bars. Key aspects of the initiative include:

• How It Works: If a patron feels uncomfortable on a date, threatened by someone’s behaviour, or generally unsafe, they can approach a venue staff member and ask for “Angela”.
• Discreet Signaling: Using this code word alerts staff that the individual requires help without drawing unwanted attention from a potential aggressor.
• Staff Response: Venue employees are trained to recognise the phrase and respond calmly and confidentially—such as taking the person to a secure area, helping them exit the venue, calling a taxi, or contacting family and authorities.
• Origin and Spread: Originally launched in the UK (Lincolnshire) in 2016, the campaign has since been adopted by venues globally, including various entertainment precincts and bars across Australia.

So there you have it, a day when there was much to learn and enjoy.