Nuttari is an ancient suburb of Niigata City that was once a thriving community producing some of the most renowned miso, soy sauce, and sake in all of Japan. While nowadays a much sleepier town, it is easy to find fascinating relics of its vibrant past and is once again in the midst of a cultural boom.
It is about 20 minutes by foot from Niigata station.
Imayotsukasa
Imayotsukasa is one of the best sake breweries in Japan and Nuttari’s brightest gem! While most of Nuttari’s breweries are now long gone, Imayotsukasa survived due to an ambitious re-branding with the aim to put their sake in line with ‘cool Japan’ aesthetics. Their award-winning packaging mixes sleek modern designs while retaining a distinct sense of their traditional origins. Even if you don’t like sake, the atmosphere, stunning architecture, and decadent sake bottles are a treat for the eyes.
Nuttari Terrace
Nuttari Terrace is a row of old houses that have been turned into unique indie shops. Chain businesses have no place here, instead you’ll find a range of friendly, chatty, and eccentric personalities who have poured every last drop of sweat into their business. If you’re lucky enough, your trip may coincide with the Nuttari Terrace Morning Market, when the street truly comes alive! It’s held on the first Sunday of every month.
Nuttari is not just famous for sake – Nuttari Beer makes their own brands of world-class craft beer. The warm atmosphere and lovely staff make for the perfect place to enjoy their delicious beverages. Their brews change fairly often so each time will be a different experience! They are only open from Friday to Sunday and close around 9pm, so be careful not to miss out!
Minemura Jouzou
Housed inside a renovated Edo Period (1603 – 1868) storehouse, Minamura Jouzou has an incredible range of fermented foods and drinks available. They specialize in producing miso, dashi, and many more base flavor ingredients for Japanese dishes. There is also a very relaxing and stylish cafe attached, providing delectable treats with a Japanese twist on classic flavors – including miso ice cream! A great opportunity to deepen your knowledge and experience of Japanese food.
Guesthouse Nari
Nuttari’s only guesthouse! Renovated from a 90-year-old traditional Japanese house, Guesthouse Nari feels like something straight from Spirited Away! Even if you don’t stay, Nari’s bar is open most nights from 7:30pm until 11pm. Here you can meet other travelers and chat to the lovely staff, who know everything there is to know about Nuttari and Niigata!
Abandoned Railway
When seeking the old side of Nuttari, there is nowhere better (and creepier) than the abandoned railway line. This railway was once dedicated to the transport of goods but was disconnected in 2010. Now you can enjoy the haunting and surreal aesthetic it provides. Some parts have been cleared up, with even a few small gardens lining the sides, while others are very overgrown. It is not advised to enter these areas or anywhere with a fence.
Showa Houses
While there is now an abundance of modern buildings in the area, Nuttari still remains a place where many traditional Showa Period (1926–1989) and even older houses remain. Many of them have unfortunately been abandoned, but this, in itself, provides an alluring encounter. You don’t have to consult a map to find them – they are everywhere! Just choose a street and walk! If you’re unsure of what to look for, head to Guesthouse Nari for the perfect example.
Temples and Shrines
Nuttari is overflowing with temples and shrines, making it one of the best places in Niigata to easily find some! Most are based around the Nuttari Terrace, so you can quickly pop into a few while you shop. If you walk towards Imayotsukasa Sake Brewery, you’ll find Nuttari Hakusan Shrine, a magnificent and historical shrine that will be sure to impress!
After living in Yokohama for almost 3 years, I decided to end my stay in Japan as a teacher by making my way to its mysterious final frontier – Hokkaido. A land that promised to be nothing like the mainland – with vast open spaces, rolling hills, actual space to park a car and real footpaths to walk on. Unfortunately, I wasn’t going to be paid my final salary before embarking on this trip, so, as a man who felt extremely comfortable in Japan (even though I was still technically a stranger in a foreign land), I bought tickets on the cheapest ferry I could find and boarded from Niigata city with about 500 yen (5$) in my wallet.
My expectations were low, but I still expected more than what I got. While the ferry itself was nice, fitted with entertainment spaces, 5-star rooms and a nice restaurant, my so-called ‘bed’ was fit only for the most heinous criminals on death row. A thin blanket on hard, ‘cheap primary-school’ style carpet with a leather rectangle as hard as the skin of a baseball for a pillow. I paid 6000 yen for the room (60$), and I didn’t even get a mattress, and this was meant to be an overnight trip. Great start.
While exploring the boat was a fun distraction from the awful sleeping arrangements, I was slowly but surely feeling my body telling me to stop and rest. Luckily, I had stocked up on cheap wine before boarding, so I drank myself to a level to which I could peacefully pass out no matter the surface. Although I did swap out the so-called ‘pillow’ for one of my sweaters.
You may be wondering, what was my plan for getting money? As those who have been to Japan know, cash is king. Credit cards are very limited, and with no cash and no nearby ATM, you’re not getting anywhere or buying anything. But I had a plan. Once I arrived in Hokkaido, my paycheck would have come through, and, after triple-checking the disembarkation point of the ferry, I found an ATM well within walking distance. I would arrive, walk a little, get cash and be on my way to Hakodate city, my real first destination in Hokkaido.
However, the disembarkation point was different. Rather than being a five-minute walk, it was a thirty-minute drive to any ATM. Feeling hungover, with multiple points of pain in my body from my sleep on the floor, I couldn’t even muster up the energy to curse the information I’d gotten. Of course, you would think of taking a taxi, but I was a foreigner in a strange place with no cash. It wasn’t an option. Time to walk, I thought.
Let me now tell you about the city of which the outskirts I was in. Tomakomai. Don’t go there. There is nothing for you there. Fish is a powerful cultural image in Japan, and fishing villages are often romanticised. Then the 20th-century happened, and fishing became a colossal, mega-industry based in factories hiring the roughest and most uneducated people you can find. These are the lovely citizens of Tomokomai, the same ones who, when I tried hitchhiking, wouldn’t stop no matter how desperate the look on my face was, or that the temperature was dropping toward zero, or that the sun was setting. I was in a part of Japan tourists weren’t meant to see.
Blade-runner-esque towers billowing smog and heavy scatterings of all varieties of trash were my surroundings as I embarked on my long walk. I had fortunately encountered a train station, but the next train wasn’t due for another 3 hours, (a shock coming from Kanto) so there would be no chance to get to the centre of Tomakomai in time to catch a connecting train to my destination. Once the battery of my phone, which doesn’t seem to cope well in cold weather, dropped from 60% to 10% in a matter of minutes, and GPS became no longer available, I knew it was time to turn back to the ferry terminal and beg someone to help me.
Then the battery died. I was about an hours walk away from the ferry terminal now, and it was well and truly dark. It was a surreal and beautiful scene. If I hadn’t felt so cold and stressed I could have possibly enjoyed it, or at least have taken a photo. The stars of the northern hemisphere, which would have usually had to fight against Tokyo’s light pollution, now shone starkly through the pure air of Hokkaido. I realised, in between thoughts of anger and frustration, that this was probably the first time I’d properly seen the stars of the northern hemisphere. These fleeting thoughts of beauty passed as quickly as they came when I realised I was lost.
With no GPS and passing cars getting very rare, I pretty much gave up all hope of getting to my destination and thought only of finding a warm place to spend the night. I had 300,000 yen waiting for me, fresh from my last month’s work in Japan, locked away in a small machine in any 7/11, inaccessible to me. This thought both tormented me and gave me hope.
Heading generally toward the strongest light source in the distance paid off, as I luckily arrived back at where it all began – the ferry terminal. It was now almost 9 pm, and the ferry had once again departed back to the mainland, but the lights in the building were still on, so as I headed closer I felt my luck beginning to turn.
As I walked in, a cute 20-something women, who I had caught a glimpse of earlier in the evening, and who must have seen me too, judging by the puzzled look on her face as to why I had returned, greeted me. I was done with my facade of acting like I knew what I was doing, and begged her to call me a taxi, even though, in my mind, I had already decided it was a lost cause. ‘Oh, no problem,’ she responded in Japanese, and made the call. Then she told me one would arrive in about 20 minutes. As I heard this, I replayed all of tonight’s events in my head, simultaneously realising how pointless every one of them had been. What did I think asking for a taxi was pointless before? Surely, I should have at least tried? I asked these questions to myself, but couldn’t produce an answer, so I quickly put it out of my mind and moved onto the next thing – getting to my real destination.
As I got in the taxi, I quickly and calmly explained my current lack of funds, and where I could get money from. Again, another nonchalant answer of ‘yep, no problem.’ Even though I’d just spent 20 minutes inside the ferry terminal, my bones were still chilled from the crisp Hokkaido air, so the warm, cosy seat of the taxi was welcomed by my aching, frazzled and still pissed-off self. As we set off, I looked out the window at the passing sights of Tomakomai. As the taxi made a turn onto another highway going a different direction, I also realised I must have been walking the wrong way the whole time. But I was over any anger now. I felt a certain feeling of escape and freedom, like I’d just entered an entirely new and much better world after living in hell for years. If it were a normal day, I probably would have only felt the same if I had won the lottery and entered a higher class of living. I wouldn’t survive one night if I were made homeless.
Looking at the passing streets of Tomakomai, it occurred to me that I’d probably been harsh in my judgements. It wasn’t a bad little town. But that didn’t stop me from swearing that I’d never come here again, and certainly not by boat. And yes I made it to Hakodate on time, and it’s one of the best cities I’ve been to in my life.
A fitting piece of music can heighten the emotion of a scene, turning even a mundane action into something deep and contemplative. Even something as simple as a character eating a potato chip can be as epic as the Battle of Thermopylae if the right music is used.
Over the years, Japan has been the home of great Original Soundtracks (OSTs). Some of the most well-known come from games, such as those in Final Fantasy VII, that linger in our minds long after the thrill of the game-play has passed.
Anime too has some incredible music matching even the works of soundtrack geniuses John Williams and Howard Shore.
Here are 10 of my favourite tracks from anime OSTs. Mild spoilers ahead.
1. Crybaby – Devilman: Crybaby
Powerful yet understated, the leisurely build-up of Crybaby perfectly fits the tone and themes of the dramatic second half of Devilman. Initially, the music conjures images of the aftermath of irreversible destruction, however, once the main melody begins, we feel a softer, contemplative tone with a hint of darkness. This carefully balanced tone is used well in accentuating the emotion in the range of experiences Devilman’s characters go through.
The tone of the track changes once again around 2:20, when the music swells. This part is perfectly timed to match and heighten several of the plot twists throughout Devilman. These stomach-turning moments are not easily forgotten, making this piece all the more powerful for those who have seen the anime. There hasn’t been a single play of Crybaby that hasn’t induced goosebumps.
2. Nui Harime’s Theme – Kill la Kill
Character themes are a staple of great OSTs. Rather than being written for a scene, the music is written to capture a character. Nui Harime’s Theme does this perfectly, with its creepy and sinister chanting, percussion and strings forming a perfect companion to her sickly sweet and deceiving cutesy appearance. Once the piece breaks down into its chorus, we see Nui’s true form – a powerful and evil monster.
The only issue with this piece is its overuse during its anime (Kill la Kill), even going so far as to spoil a scene where Nui’s involvement was supposed to be revealed as a surprise later. This shows how brilliant composition is alone insufficient in making a great OST, as the actual direction of the music into the production is what gives OSTs their special distinction from regular music.
3. Vogel im Käfig – Attack on Titan
Epic – an overused word that has seemingly lost all its vigour in recent years. Yet there’s not another word that truly describes this song. Again, starting slow and sombre, eliciting feelings of hope, then crushing that hope around 2:40 with a dramatic crescendo marking intense despair that is timed to some of the most shocking moments in Attack on Titan. This alternation between hope and despair parallels the narrative of Attack on Titan and displays the savagery of the world its characters inhabit.
4. Beginning – Kaiji
The brilliance of Beginning is seemingly lost. It’s difficult to find on YouTube, its view count is comparatively low and it is underused during the Kanji anime. Of course, a track is better underused than overused, but I feel that this track utterly encapsulates gambling, which is Kaiji’s main theme.
The song begins by building the tension of a wager. You can feel the weight of the decision in the droning synth and guitar, symbolising the tense, uneasy feeling before making a bet. Then, the dice is rolled around 0.55, and the tone becomes lighter, as the decision has been made, and the purity of luck is tested. At 1.20 luck is not pure anymore, it has become either good or evil, depending on the outcome and the perspective. This last part of the track works for both outcomes, as it doesn’t feel too heavy on either side, making it a perfect tune for games involving high stakes and chance.
5. Melody of Chroniko – Kaiba
Diegetic sound – a term used to describe sound within a story that also exists within the story’s world. Think Mos Eisley Cantina and you’ve got the general idea. Melody of Chroniko is a piece that is initially played on the piano by character Chroniko’s aunt, which acts as a key to unlock her repressed memories.
Melody of Chroniko is a piece which was intended solely for this scene. The simple, repetitive melody, something that the child, Chroniko, could also play along with her aunt in the past, gradually builds its intensity as we delve further into the the memories of Chroniko held by her aunt. The song suddenly ends as the aunt abruptly stops her playing and snaps back into the present, realising what horrible things she done.
6. Kaneda’s Theme – Akira
A unique piece featuring percussion and various chanting, Kaneda’s Theme is the perfect backdrop to our introduction into the violent, neon-lit city of NeoTokyo and the lives of its various biker hooligans. Best used during the opening scenes of the film, as deeply flawed protagonists Kaneda and Tetsuo rampage throughout the city, the piece’s steady crescendo builds its intensity alongside images of the city’s sea of impossibly high skyscrapers and vast layers of lights, hiding the chaos that dwells underneath.
7. Hanezeve Caradhina – Made in Abyss
Unlike most other entries on this list, Hanezeve Caradhinais all about hope. Used very selectively, it perfectly encapsulates the optimism and thirst for exploration of our protagonist. It conjures up the notion that, while life may be horrible in this moment, tomorrow will still come, bringing endless potential and new opportunities. The power of Hanezeve Caradhina is seen particularly well at the end of the first episode of its anime (Made in Abyss), used as the backdrop to one of the greatest exposition dumps ever. As the true scope of the featured abyss is revealed to the audience, and we finally understand its gargantuan legacy, this piece fires up our adrenaline and makes us want to jump down the abyss along with the characters and explore the vast and seemingly endless world it promises.
8. The Girl in Byakkoya – Paprika
Susumu Hirasawa’s compositions display a unique sound, best described as experimental. Doing away with conventional OST styles, he blends uncanny vocal assortments with harsh electronic or orchestral arrangements, creating an jarring sound fitting for anime with strange visuals or themes. He is perhaps best known for his remarkable Berserk OST but his collaboration with the legendary late director Satoshi Kon is equally masterful. Paprika is a film seemingly made with Hirasawa’s music in mind, with its eccentric imagery and themes revolving around dreams, no music could be more suited to complement this film.
Despite saying this, The Girl in Byakkoya is a relaxed piece that plays during scenes of calmness and reflection as the characters have moments of revelation and change. It’s a perfect piece that acts as a counterweight to the film’s more intense moments and allows the characters breathing space, which prevents the film from becoming too disconnected from reality.
9. Requiem – Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
Requiem is a very simple track that you will be able to recall for years after seeing Nausicaä. Its initial repetition of the solfège sound of ‘la’ creates a melancholic ambiance fitting for the grim post-apocalyptic fantasy film. The piece is used especially well during an infamous flashback scene, where we witness the origin of Nausicaä’s trauma revolving around the huge insects that roam the world and why she wants to protect them so dearly. The tender and innocent heart of her child-self is callously crushed by the fear of those around her as she is shown the world of trepidation inhabited by adults. The often jovial and childish ‘la’ is distorted into a haunting chant as Nausicaä breaks from her sheltered royal life into reality, setting her up to become the strong, caring and independent women we see in the film.
10. Rain – Cowboy Bebop
No comprehensive list of anime OSTs would ever be complete without something from Japan’s OST legend Yoko Kanno, who is herself more than deserving of her own list which will likely appear on this blog one day. Despite being over 20 years old, her best and most noted work still comes from Cowboy Bebop, where the cool, smooth jazz and blues tracks frame the characters and their world.
However, contrary to its name, Bebop is not all jazz and blues. Kanno composed and arranged an impressively diverse assortment of music for the series, including a number of great stand-alone tracks that feature during emotional scenes. Rain is one of these. Tense, solemn and melancholic, we are treated to this track only once as protagonist Spike confronts his old enemy Vicious along with the past he longs to forget. Its steady pipe organs bring more life to the setting of its accompanying scene, which takes place in a church. It’s haunting lyrics verbalise the thoughts of Spike. Truly the absolute peak of infusing OSTs with scenes.
Our Little Sister is a cinematic adaption of the manga Umimachi Diary and the latest film by acclaimed Japanese director Hirokazu Koreeda. The film is an elegant masterpiece void of any melodrama or production ineptness that flaunts the love, awkwardness, and tension between the characters through subtle scenes filled with concealed spirituality.
Our Little Sister continues Koreeda’s theme of childhood abandonment that is featured in many of his other films – notably the acclaimed Nobody Knows (2004). However, there is a remarkable distance between Our Little Sister and Nobody Knows, with the latter’s exposition of the darker side of Japan contrasting with the former’s starry-eyed portrayal of the beauty of sister-hood.
In terms of narrative, the film lacks a conventional one. It is instead a slice-of-life showcase of a tranquil yet melancholy Japanese life that jumps between the interwoven experiences of each sister. What plot there is begins with the death of the sister’s father, whose downhearted daughter, the half-sister of his original children, is invited to live with her three older half-sisters in Kamakura. What follows is the meticulously crafted day-to-day life of the girls as they grow closer. Over the course of the film we come to know the characters through their quirks, personalities and flaws, as well as their unique interactions that portray a vibrant and shifting relationship.
The film transcends the cliques of drama and instead opts to develop its narrative through simplistic actions – a stressful day at work, a family fight, a simple conversation at the dinner table about nothing in particular – these mundane tasks are turned into magic through the authentic construction of each character. This daring feat would not have been achieved without the meticulous direction and cinematography, which, although delicately presented, allows the audience space to relish in the layers and shades of each scene.
Before viewing the film it should be noted that, while the film attempts a sobering realistic atmosphere, it really shows an idyllic beauty seldom experienced in real life. Basically, the film is a fantasy portrayal of reality. It lacks the moral issues seen in Koreeda’s previous efforts, which tend to focus on a dark , yet realistic side to family and Japanese society. One should keep in mind that even the well-explored flaws of the sisters are still quixotically beautiful in their fragility and honesty and thus the film is not a truly candid look into Japanese life.
Overall, Our Little Sister is a slow but highly recommended film for those who want a meaningful and authentic if somewhat romanticised snapshot into an ideal Japanese life.
VPN usage may increase as the government begins its data retention scheme. IMAGE: Dominik Rusiecki
VPN usage in Australia is seeing renewed popularity as the Federal government’s mandatory data retention scheme came into effect last week.
Since the law passed the Federal Parliament in March this year, interest in VPNs have skyrocketed in Australia. Google searches for the service reached a new height in April and have remained high since, with a new peak emerging as the laws went to into effect.
NordVPN, a popular VPN service, have reported large spikes in sessions from Australia since April this year, with a new peak in traffic emerging last week.
A spokesperson from the company said that “recent media attention to this topic has definitely brought an increased interest for NordVPN.
“Looking at the numbers, I would say that the recent increase was very similar to the one that happened in April this year,” the spokesperson said.
A poll by Essential Research in April showed that already 16 per cent of Australians use a VPN service or Tor to protect their online privacy, with around 1 in 5 people between the ages of 18-34 using these services.
A 2013 report from GlobalWebIndex showed a direct correlation between VPN usage and internet freedom, with restrictive countries such as Thailand, China and Turkey leading with over 30 per cent of their populations having used a VPN. Experts believe that further online interference by the government will increase VPN usage in Australia.
Percentage of VPN users for the countries with the highest usage. Source: GlobalWebIndex 2013
Sean Millers, a student at RMIT University, has recently subscribed to a VPN service over fears that the new laws will one day be used to track and prosecute piracy.
“I’m concerned that eventually the executives in Hollywood will pressure the Australian government to prosecute piraters using this new data,” Sean said.
It remains to be seen whether this week’s spike in VPN interest will remain high over the coming months.
Well-respected Australian journalist and author Andrew Fowler returns in the Melbourne Writers Festival with his new book The War on Journalism. The book is both an excellent introduction and thorough analysis on government wrong-doing, journalism dereliction and the evolution of the media throughout the twentieth century and into the age of the internet. Despite a few issues with narrative flow, Fowler’s engaging storytelling and investigation allows those with little care for dense, analytical writing to gain a comprehensive understanding of these often convoluted issues. Fowler achieves this without pandering solely to the uninformed, and those with a vast knowledge of journalism history will likewise enjoy the book as an entertaining summary and perhaps addition to their knowledge.
Beginning with a gripping narration of the Snowden affair to hook readers, the book continues with a divergence between different eras that each present a common investigation into the ‘war’ on journalism. Fowler paints a grim picture of the fourth-estate under attack by aggressive governments, unlawful secret agents, unethical journalists, the internet, media moguls and sensationalism and click-bait journalism, as well as detailing the poor reactions of the media institutions themselves.
While you may occasionally glimpse Fowler’s left-wing and pro-ABC bias, he puts an admirable amount of effort into presenting a rounded narrative. Beyond the easy targets of the Murdoch empire, (but still giving them a fair kicking) Fowler illustrates the lows of journalism from all ends of the spectrum, including the New York Times’ Iraqi War propaganda, the UK government’s attack on the Guardian during the Snowden revelations and the lacklustre fight the ABC put up against far-right-wing attacks and infiltration during the 90s.
Where the book really differs from similar accounts of such themes is Fowler’s addition of an exploration of modernity and its effect on journalism. Heavily featured is Fowler’s analysis of the internet’s almost-catastrophic impact on journalism through attention to losses in finance, readership, exclusivity, privacy, freedom and integrity. However, rather than being anti-modern, Fowler criticises the media as a product that doesn’t belong in the twenty-first century. Instead, he believes in figures like Julian Assange and Glenn Greenwald who are resilient against journalism’s enemies and are seeking an open world of information.
One issue with this book, however, comes from its haphazard timeline. The prioritisation of a connection of topics rather than events results in constant decade jumping between chapters that inhibits a coherent chronological narrative from forming and breaks the reader’s engagement. Fowler’s contention would have also been helped by the inclusion of a conclusive chapter to sum up a central argument. The lack of such leaves the reader to instead determine Fowler’s thoughts through his non-chronological narratives, leaving a cluttered impression.
In pre-Snowden times, Andrew Fowler’s The War on Journalism may have been disregarded by many as another left-wing, anti-government, conspiracy theory, but considering recent events, there should be no debate now that The War on Journalism is an accurate and relevant edition that allows an understanding of journalism’s dark history and a unique insight into its form within the modern world. Its lack of a structured narrative and conclusive argument, however, prevent it from reaching greater heights.
GNOMEAGEDDON: 446 Tecoma residents take up the fight against their suburb’s newly opened McDonalds outlet by attempting to break the world record for the largest gathering of people dressed as gnomes. PHOTO: STEVEN CSORGO
As typical Melbourne Autumn weather combines with the cold-mist of the Dandenong ranges, protestors against the newly opened Tecoma McDonalds outlet attempt to set a world record – to have the worlds largest gathering of people dressed as gnomes.
They were just short – around 50 more and Tecoma would have made history.
Certainly this wacky and amusing event reflects the good nature of Tecoma, a leafy suburb in the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges, and while the result wasn’t quite as hoped, Tecoma has already been making history.
As I sit across from Garry Muratore, the Media and Communications spokesperson for the No McDonalds in the Dandenong Ranges committee, I notice a few people surrounding us listening in on the interview. Afterwards, one man shakes his hand and calls him an ‘inspiration.’
With the attention Tecoma has received over this – locally and nationally – Garry has become somewhat of a face for the community.
A born and bred Dandenong man with a background in marketing, Garry is using his PR knowledge to represent the image of the group and to knock back the claims made by their opposition.
However, his involvement has not been a completely positive experience.
“They said things to us…be prepared to be taken to high courts, be prepared to have private investigators follow you, be prepared for security to assault you, and I just thought, that’s a little bit inflammatory…” says Garry.
He was soon to realise how mistaken he was.
“The very first day they put the fences up they had bikies acting for security there who were telling woman they couldn’t wait to break their fingers and smash their faces,” says Gary.
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Gary later found out from the press that McDonalds had paid for a private investigator to follow him and see what he was planning.
“Where are my rights?” asks Gary.
Peta Freeman is another Tecoma resident who’s been battling McDonalds since 2011.
Peta, who lives down the road from the McDonalds site, says she’s been appalled at the treatment their community has received from McDonalds.
“They like to put a front on as being family-friendly and a community-supportive organisation and we’ve seen nothing but the opposite,” says Peta.
After been literally locked out of the McDonalds headquarters in Australia, the group sought to present McDonalds CEO Donald Thomson with a Change.org petition containing over 100,000 signatures calling for an end to the construction of the Tecoma outlet.
They believed at the time this one stunt McDonalds couldn’t ignore, but Peta and Gary were in for another surprise.
The CEO of McDonalds “refused to come down and meet with us, the people that they did send down didn’t introduce themselves, refused to shake our hands, we’d flown across the globe…and they treated us like we were nobodies,” says Peta.
Hear Garry Muratore and Peta Freeman describe their experiences in Chicago.
The case of a small community verus a corporation is often seen as David verus Goliath scenario – with the corporation clearly taking the latter role.
However, you don’t have to spend much time in Tecoma to see the colossal resentment many hold towards the golden arches.
“I think we might make this an annual event” Garry announces to the disappointed but still enthused Tecoma gnomes as the failed attempt warps itself up as the rain starts to pour.
This casual announcement of continuation for the movement drives home how this movement, still strong on its fourth year, isn’t going to just fade away.
Despite the strong presence of the anti-McDonalds protestors, McDonalds Tecoma appears to be doing well, but as we wrap up the interview Garry tells me he still believes the split between McDonalds and Tecoma will continue to grow stronger.
MOVE-ON: Once the location of anti-McDonalds graffiti and signage, the site of the McDonalds Tecoma protest is now bare. PHOTO: STEVEN CSORGO
Victoria’s new anti-protest laws could result in the obstruction of community movements, says protestors.
The laws, which give police enhanced authority to remove protestors they deem potentially violent or obstructive, may deter communities from seeking change through lawful protests.
Protesters are concerned with how police will interpret these laws, and whether they will need to change the way they protest.
“I think it’s really going to interfere with the way we currently protest” said Denise McKay, who is a Tecoma resident protesting against the construction of a McDonalds in her town.
“The problem with it is that it will be based on the police’s decision on whether they want to work for the government or a corporation to prevent a protest…its very subjective.” said Mrs. McKay.
Heath Pawliy, who is also a part of the protest against a McDonalds in the Dandenong Ranges, said that he was concerned about new community movements that have yet to gain momentum being broken up.
“The real problem is it might affect other campaigns from ever starting.”
The laws also give courts the power to issue exclusion orders, barring repeating protestors from a location for up to 12 months.
Mr. Pawliy said that this will make it difficult for the community to see the level of support for a movement while giving a false representation of the movement to politicians and the media.
“It’s a stab in the heart to free speech” said Garry Muratore, the Media and Communications Officer for the anti-McDonalds movement in the Dandenongs.
Mr. Muratore is sceptical of how necessary these new laws are.
“It’s going to be pretty hard for a politician to stand up and law these laws are good, when you see nothing but peaceful Mums and Dads protesting.”
Robert Doyle, Lord Mayor of Melbourne, has said that the extension of these laws will assist in removing anti-abortion protestors from a clinic in Melbourne, who have been hounding patients.
However, many protestors say that as long as they are not violent or destructive, they have a right to be there and protest.
The laws follow recent worldwide trend of governments cracking down on protests, particularly in the United States.
Locally, many movements will now have to start thinking about whether they can continue protesting in the same way.
Experts say innovation and a boost in funding is needed to keep the Australian tourism industry growing.
Members of the Australian tourism industry say more innovation is needed to stimulate tourism growth within Australia.
Matt Hingerty, CEO of the Australian Tourism and Export Council, says there are a number of tourism opportunities available for investment, but the government is reluctant to spend.
“They find it very hard to justify risk and investing in those areas.”
Mr. Hingerty says the government needs to further cater for growing international tourist attractions such as health and medical travel.
Dr. Vicki Peel, coordinator of the Master of Tourism at Monash University, says that domestic tourism also needs a boost, as many are opting for international travel because of the high price of the Australian dollar.
“Australians themselves have been obviously drawn by the fact that there dollar is so good to take holidays in the region, so domestic tourism has been quite stagnant since 2000.”
Dr. Peel says she finds these government reforms “worrying.”
“For 40 years we’ve had a tourism minister, we’ve had tourism as a major portfolio and it appears, despite messages to the contrary, that tourism is being downgraded.”
Despite these concerns over the future of tourism in Australia, the number of tourists inbound for Australia is set to rise.
Steven Csorgo
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(Images by Steven Csorgo)
This graph demonstrates the predicted number of tourists inbound for Australia.
Experts say Melbourne’s population growth will put a massive strain on it’s public transport system – yet little is being done to prepare for it .
By Steven Csorgo.
Melbourne’s public transport system may be unable to handle the demand of its population growth.
Graham Currie, Chair of Public Transport for Monash University, said that the government is not doing enough to prepare our public transport system for Melbourne’s population growth, which is estimated to increase by 1.3 million over the next 20 years.
“We’re not keeping pace in any way, shape or form in our future plans for the growth that we have.”
Currie is concerned for the future of Melbourne’s public transport system, as the government does not have the power or money to fund the necessary improvements.
“We’ve build ourself into a really bad situation with the future of our transport.”
Daniel Bowen, Former President of the Public Transport Uses Association, said that it is the government’s responsibility to improve the infrastructure of Melbourne’s public transport system.
“That infrastructure’s owned by the government and it’s up to the government to fix it.”
Bowman added that the construction of the East-West link will not solve Melbourne’s traffic problems.
“The answer is not more roads, the answer is actually to get people out of their cars and move them more efficiently around the city.”
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