Coming soon, Valhalla remade as office space

By Sunanda Creagh , The Sydney Morning Herald
"THE old Valhalla cinema in Glebe is likely to be turned into office space, despite objections to the proposal.
The City of Sydney's acting director of city planning, Giovanni Cirillo, has recommended the council approve the conversion of the cinema, which closed down in August 2005.
Under the plan, the exterior of the 1938 building would be retained, and a mezzanine and 38 commercial office suites installed.
The application will be decided at Monday's planning committee and several councillors say it is likely to go ahead.
"There's a fair chance it will be supported by the committee," John McInerney said yesterday.
Cr McInerney said he did not want to see the building remain vacant. "I think it's acceptable," he said. "We are advised that the main parts of the building - the cinema itself - will be subdivided and will be able to be turned back into a cinema if someone decided in the future to do that."

Read the full article from The Sydney Morning Herald here.

Inquest begins into Balibo Five death

"A coronial inquest has begun in Sydney into the death of one of five Australian journalists killed in East Timor in 1975.
Brian Peters, 26, was one of five men working for Australian television networks who was killed at Balibo while covering the Indonesian invasion of East Timor.
The counsel assisting the coroner has told the inquest that eye witness evidence will be called to show that the men were attempting to surrender to Indonesian forces when they were either shot or stabbed.
The inquest, at Glebe Coroner's Court, is expected to hear from a significant number of Timorese witnesses but no Indonesian witness has been made available."

Read the article from ABC News here.

Defamation action against Roberts dismissed

"The New South Wales Supreme Court has dismissed defamation action brought by a Sydney man against former rugby league international Ian Roberts.
Mr Roberts told Sydney's Glebe Coroner's Court in May that Frederick George Rix had sexually assaulted him when he was 15-years-old.
Mr Rix lodged a statement of claim with the Supreme Court asking for $10 million in damages for defamation.
Last month the court struck out his claim but gave Mr Rix liberty to file an amended statement of claim.
Mr Rix has today told the court he had not done that and the court dismissed the action."

Read the article from ABC News here.

Blog Review:
Spanish Tapas, on the blog Jenius

Valhalla sells for office space

by Garry Maddox, Sydney Morning Herald

"A SYDNEY film icon, the Valhalla cinema in Glebe, has screened its last movie after being sold to a property developer. It had been passed in at auction late last year, but the arthouse operation has sold for $2.95 million to W Property for conversion into offices.
The cinema closed last August with its long-time owner and manager, Chris Kiely, blaming the popularity of DVDs and the poor quality of recent releases. Mr Kiely said he was relieved to finally sell. "The sadness was last year when the realisation hit that it could never be a goer again," he said. The new owners plan to retain the exterior and foyer in an office development aimed at the "creative sector" including architects and the film industry.
Built in 1937 and used at times for theatre and music, the Valhalla thrived as an avant-garde cinema for film buffs in the 1980s. "In those days, we were getting 300 people for a double feature," Mr Kiely said.

Read the full article from The Sydney Morning Herald here.

Road rage attacker cleared of manslaughter

"A Sydney man whose actions led to the death of another motorist has been found not guilty of manslaughter but guilty of a lesser offence.
Benny Sarkis, 60, died in December of last year, after he suffered fatal head injuries during an altercation with another motorist on Glebe Point Road, in Sydney's inner west.
He struck his head on the ground as a result of being punched once by 36-year-old Maka Afu. The two men were arguing after their cars almost collided.
Afu, from Marrickville, was standing trial in the Sydney District Court charged with manslaughter.
The jury has found him not guilty of that charge, but guilty of the alternative offence of maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm.
Afu's bail was revoked and he will next be in court for a sentencing hearing in November."

Read the article from ABC News here.

Iemma relocates car imports to Port Kembla

"New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma has announced details of a plan to relocate car imports from Glebe Island in Sydney to Port Kembla by 2008.
The move will generate jobs and economic opportunities for the Illawarra.
Mr Iemma says Glebe Island has 5,000 car spaces while opening a new birth at Port Kembla will provide 14,000 car spaces, securing future expansion for the next 40 years.
"Glebe Island just simply doesn't have the space and it makes good economic sense to invest in the future of the Illawarra by transferring that service and that facility to the Illawarra," he said. The move is expected to generate 1,000 direct and indirect jobs in Wollongong, with the Government investing $140 million to upgrade the port. ..."

Read the full article from ABC News here.