Latest news with #Bezzina
Sky News AU
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
'It must stop': Former prime minister Tony Abbott calls for stronger action to stamp out 'pro-Hamas' protests, antisemitic attacks
Former prime minister Tony Abbott has claimed stronger action is needed to crackdown on antisemitism in the wake of fresh attacks on the Jewish community. On Tuesday, Mr Abbott called for a blanket ban on 'pro-Hamas' protests from carrying on across Australia and urged police to take harder stance. After visiting the synagogue in east Melbourne which was the target of last week's attempted arson attack, Mr Abbott told Sky News host Peta Credlin Jewish Australians had been 'under relentless attack' since October 7, 2023. 'It must stop - and all we've had up till now is largely impotent hand wringing from people in authority,' Mr Abbott said. 'Just as the police cracked down hard on the freedom protests during the pandemic, there's nothing to stop them cracking down hard these pro-Hamas, Jew-hatred protests. They've been going on for far too long. 'We can't tolerate it. They must be stopped. They must never be allowed to happen again and if the police object, the Premier should just say: 'I'm sorry, this is an instruction from the elected and accountable government to officialdom, go and carry it out'.' Mr Abbott said it was not a question of freedom of speech and the right to protest, as demonstrators had gone after and blatantly intimidated 'decent, law-abiding Australians'. Former homicide detective Charlie Bezzina echoed those sentiments, telling Sky News the police force had become muzzled and 'over risk-averse'. Mr Bezzina said police were 'sitting in buses around the corner' during protests in Melbourne last week. The former detective added police should be able to 'react on the spot' if a splinter group of 20 agitators descend on a restaurant, as they did during that protest. There were a series of problems arising from lack of action until after the incident, he said, claiming it was a 'bad look' and could lead to an unnecessary mental or physical injury. Mr Bezzina said Victoria's lack of protest permit laws was partly the problem, as there was no accountability, and suggested splinter groups be traced back to the main demonstration which is held responsible for intimidation and disruptive activity. 'Now when you apply for another permit you're not going to get it because you're not controlling your own people, it's not for us. So ultimately there is no accountability , they run riot,' he said. ' My particular question is, what have you achieved? Apart from inconveniencing the community, the good people of this state, what have you achieve globally, internally?' Author Ayaan Hirsi Ali said the increasing trend of antisemitic incidents in Australia was more than just criminal activity. 'We're looking at political violence. We need to know where the mother bee of this is,' she said. Ms Ali said the problem began with educational institutions and universities, which were 'not providing education anymore'. 'We're not teaching the disciplines of math and science and history and civics and Western civilisation and humanities and classics. Now we have something called 'studies',' she said. 'These are all grievance studies. You get a degree in resentment.'
The Advertiser
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
Bridge project points to the future of arts festivals
Global art and design duo Craig & Karl are returning to their hometown for the Brisbane Festival, transforming three of the city's bridges with their colourful palette. Craig Redman and Karl Maier will design artworks for Brisbane's Neville Bonner, Goodwill, and Kangaroo Point bridges as part of a project titled ANZ's Walk This Way. With naming rights granted to a big four bank, it is one of several attractions on the 2025 slate with prominent corporate backing - another is a fireworks display marking the opening weekend, titled Riverfire by Australian Retirement Trust. It's part of artistic director Louise Bezzina's sixth and final festival, which features a slate of more than 1000 performances. Of those, 475 are free to the public, even as production costs continue to increase. With the hunt for the next artistic director underway, Bezzina says corporate support is vital to the future of the festival, along with philanthropic and government backing. "I don't feel like there's any artistic compromise," she said. "In fact without it, it simply wouldn't be possible to deliver a program of this scale, and particularly with the amount of free programming." Corporate partnerships are on brand for Craig & Karl, who are these days based in New York and London, and have worked with companies such as Nike, Apple, Google, Vogue, and LVMH. The duo is also presenting a citywide art trail and an exhibition at the Griffith University Art Museum. Over 23 days, the Brisbane Festival will feature the work of 2260 artists. At the launch of the program on Wednesday, burlesque performer Bettie Bombshell played with fire in a preview of cabaret show Gatsby at the Green Light. There was also a sneak peek at The Lovers, a pop-music reinterpretation of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Brisbane company Shake & Stir's artistic director Nick Skubij. On the dance slate, renowned French choreographer Benjamin Millepied is staging three works with LA Dance Project, the triptych Gems, commissioned by luxury brand Van Cleef & Arpels. Bangarra Dance Theatre founder Stephen Page also returns to his hometown with Baleen Moondjan, which will be staged on a barge on the Brisbane River among a set of giant whalebones. Free offerings also include the mass attractions of a drone display titled Skylore, and a trail of candlelit artworks at the City Botanic Gardens. Yet in the background, Australian cultural festivals are being staged in an increasingly politicised environment, according to Bezzina. "Art is inherently political and it's a really difficult and challenging area to navigate," she said. "I don't have any answers for you, but I hope we can lean into a more compassionate place, that allows us to navigate through this really tumultuous time." Brisbane Festival runs from September 5-27, with tickets on sale from Wednesday. Global art and design duo Craig & Karl are returning to their hometown for the Brisbane Festival, transforming three of the city's bridges with their colourful palette. Craig Redman and Karl Maier will design artworks for Brisbane's Neville Bonner, Goodwill, and Kangaroo Point bridges as part of a project titled ANZ's Walk This Way. With naming rights granted to a big four bank, it is one of several attractions on the 2025 slate with prominent corporate backing - another is a fireworks display marking the opening weekend, titled Riverfire by Australian Retirement Trust. It's part of artistic director Louise Bezzina's sixth and final festival, which features a slate of more than 1000 performances. Of those, 475 are free to the public, even as production costs continue to increase. With the hunt for the next artistic director underway, Bezzina says corporate support is vital to the future of the festival, along with philanthropic and government backing. "I don't feel like there's any artistic compromise," she said. "In fact without it, it simply wouldn't be possible to deliver a program of this scale, and particularly with the amount of free programming." Corporate partnerships are on brand for Craig & Karl, who are these days based in New York and London, and have worked with companies such as Nike, Apple, Google, Vogue, and LVMH. The duo is also presenting a citywide art trail and an exhibition at the Griffith University Art Museum. Over 23 days, the Brisbane Festival will feature the work of 2260 artists. At the launch of the program on Wednesday, burlesque performer Bettie Bombshell played with fire in a preview of cabaret show Gatsby at the Green Light. There was also a sneak peek at The Lovers, a pop-music reinterpretation of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Brisbane company Shake & Stir's artistic director Nick Skubij. On the dance slate, renowned French choreographer Benjamin Millepied is staging three works with LA Dance Project, the triptych Gems, commissioned by luxury brand Van Cleef & Arpels. Bangarra Dance Theatre founder Stephen Page also returns to his hometown with Baleen Moondjan, which will be staged on a barge on the Brisbane River among a set of giant whalebones. Free offerings also include the mass attractions of a drone display titled Skylore, and a trail of candlelit artworks at the City Botanic Gardens. Yet in the background, Australian cultural festivals are being staged in an increasingly politicised environment, according to Bezzina. "Art is inherently political and it's a really difficult and challenging area to navigate," she said. "I don't have any answers for you, but I hope we can lean into a more compassionate place, that allows us to navigate through this really tumultuous time." Brisbane Festival runs from September 5-27, with tickets on sale from Wednesday. Global art and design duo Craig & Karl are returning to their hometown for the Brisbane Festival, transforming three of the city's bridges with their colourful palette. Craig Redman and Karl Maier will design artworks for Brisbane's Neville Bonner, Goodwill, and Kangaroo Point bridges as part of a project titled ANZ's Walk This Way. With naming rights granted to a big four bank, it is one of several attractions on the 2025 slate with prominent corporate backing - another is a fireworks display marking the opening weekend, titled Riverfire by Australian Retirement Trust. It's part of artistic director Louise Bezzina's sixth and final festival, which features a slate of more than 1000 performances. Of those, 475 are free to the public, even as production costs continue to increase. With the hunt for the next artistic director underway, Bezzina says corporate support is vital to the future of the festival, along with philanthropic and government backing. "I don't feel like there's any artistic compromise," she said. "In fact without it, it simply wouldn't be possible to deliver a program of this scale, and particularly with the amount of free programming." Corporate partnerships are on brand for Craig & Karl, who are these days based in New York and London, and have worked with companies such as Nike, Apple, Google, Vogue, and LVMH. The duo is also presenting a citywide art trail and an exhibition at the Griffith University Art Museum. Over 23 days, the Brisbane Festival will feature the work of 2260 artists. At the launch of the program on Wednesday, burlesque performer Bettie Bombshell played with fire in a preview of cabaret show Gatsby at the Green Light. There was also a sneak peek at The Lovers, a pop-music reinterpretation of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Brisbane company Shake & Stir's artistic director Nick Skubij. On the dance slate, renowned French choreographer Benjamin Millepied is staging three works with LA Dance Project, the triptych Gems, commissioned by luxury brand Van Cleef & Arpels. Bangarra Dance Theatre founder Stephen Page also returns to his hometown with Baleen Moondjan, which will be staged on a barge on the Brisbane River among a set of giant whalebones. Free offerings also include the mass attractions of a drone display titled Skylore, and a trail of candlelit artworks at the City Botanic Gardens. Yet in the background, Australian cultural festivals are being staged in an increasingly politicised environment, according to Bezzina. "Art is inherently political and it's a really difficult and challenging area to navigate," she said. "I don't have any answers for you, but I hope we can lean into a more compassionate place, that allows us to navigate through this really tumultuous time." Brisbane Festival runs from September 5-27, with tickets on sale from Wednesday. Global art and design duo Craig & Karl are returning to their hometown for the Brisbane Festival, transforming three of the city's bridges with their colourful palette. Craig Redman and Karl Maier will design artworks for Brisbane's Neville Bonner, Goodwill, and Kangaroo Point bridges as part of a project titled ANZ's Walk This Way. With naming rights granted to a big four bank, it is one of several attractions on the 2025 slate with prominent corporate backing - another is a fireworks display marking the opening weekend, titled Riverfire by Australian Retirement Trust. It's part of artistic director Louise Bezzina's sixth and final festival, which features a slate of more than 1000 performances. Of those, 475 are free to the public, even as production costs continue to increase. With the hunt for the next artistic director underway, Bezzina says corporate support is vital to the future of the festival, along with philanthropic and government backing. "I don't feel like there's any artistic compromise," she said. "In fact without it, it simply wouldn't be possible to deliver a program of this scale, and particularly with the amount of free programming." Corporate partnerships are on brand for Craig & Karl, who are these days based in New York and London, and have worked with companies such as Nike, Apple, Google, Vogue, and LVMH. The duo is also presenting a citywide art trail and an exhibition at the Griffith University Art Museum. Over 23 days, the Brisbane Festival will feature the work of 2260 artists. At the launch of the program on Wednesday, burlesque performer Bettie Bombshell played with fire in a preview of cabaret show Gatsby at the Green Light. There was also a sneak peek at The Lovers, a pop-music reinterpretation of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Brisbane company Shake & Stir's artistic director Nick Skubij. On the dance slate, renowned French choreographer Benjamin Millepied is staging three works with LA Dance Project, the triptych Gems, commissioned by luxury brand Van Cleef & Arpels. Bangarra Dance Theatre founder Stephen Page also returns to his hometown with Baleen Moondjan, which will be staged on a barge on the Brisbane River among a set of giant whalebones. Free offerings also include the mass attractions of a drone display titled Skylore, and a trail of candlelit artworks at the City Botanic Gardens. Yet in the background, Australian cultural festivals are being staged in an increasingly politicised environment, according to Bezzina. "Art is inherently political and it's a really difficult and challenging area to navigate," she said. "I don't have any answers for you, but I hope we can lean into a more compassionate place, that allows us to navigate through this really tumultuous time." Brisbane Festival runs from September 5-27, with tickets on sale from Wednesday.
Perth Now
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Bridge project points to the future of arts festivals
Global art and design duo Craig & Karl are returning to their hometown for the Brisbane Festival, transforming three of the city's bridges with their colourful palette. Craig Redman and Karl Maier will design artworks for Brisbane's Neville Bonner, Goodwill, and Kangaroo Point bridges as part of a project titled ANZ's Walk This Way. With naming rights granted to a big four bank, it is one of several attractions on the 2025 slate with prominent corporate backing - another is a fireworks display marking the opening weekend, titled Riverfire by Australian Retirement Trust. It's part of artistic director Louise Bezzina's sixth and final festival, which features a slate of more than 1000 performances. Of those, 475 are free to the public, even as production costs continue to increase. With the hunt for the next artistic director underway, Bezzina says corporate support is vital to the future of the festival, along with philanthropic and government backing. "I don't feel like there's any artistic compromise," she said. "In fact without it, it simply wouldn't be possible to deliver a program of this scale, and particularly with the amount of free programming." Corporate partnerships are on brand for Craig & Karl, who are these days based in New York and London, and have worked with companies such as Nike, Apple, Google, Vogue, and LVMH. The duo is also presenting a citywide art trail and an exhibition at the Griffith University Art Museum. Over 23 days, the Brisbane Festival will feature the work of 2260 artists. At the launch of the program on Wednesday, burlesque performer Bettie Bombshell played with fire in a preview of cabaret show Gatsby at the Green Light. There was also a sneak peek at The Lovers, a pop-music reinterpretation of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Brisbane company Shake & Stir's artistic director Nick Skubij. On the dance slate, renowned French choreographer Benjamin Millepied is staging three works with LA Dance Project, the triptych Gems, commissioned by luxury brand Van Cleef & Arpels. Bangarra Dance Theatre founder Stephen Page also returns to his hometown with Baleen Moondjan, which will be staged on a barge on the Brisbane River among a set of giant whalebones. Free offerings also include the mass attractions of a drone display titled Skylore, and a trail of candlelit artworks at the City Botanic Gardens. Yet in the background, Australian cultural festivals are being staged in an increasingly politicised environment, according to Bezzina. "Art is inherently political and it's a really difficult and challenging area to navigate," she said. "I don't have any answers for you, but I hope we can lean into a more compassionate place, that allows us to navigate through this really tumultuous time." Brisbane Festival runs from September 5-27, with tickets on sale from Wednesday.
West Australian
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- West Australian
Bridge project points to the future of arts festivals
Global art and design duo Craig & Karl are returning to their hometown for the Brisbane Festival, transforming three of the city's bridges with their colourful palette. Craig Redman and Karl Maier will design artworks for Brisbane's Neville Bonner, Goodwill, and Kangaroo Point bridges as part of a project titled ANZ's Walk This Way. With naming rights granted to a big four bank, it is one of several attractions on the 2025 slate with prominent corporate backing - another is a fireworks display marking the opening weekend, titled Riverfire by Australian Retirement Trust. It's part of artistic director Louise Bezzina's sixth and final festival, which features a slate of more than 1000 performances. Of those, 475 are free to the public, even as production costs continue to increase. With the hunt for the next artistic director underway, Bezzina says corporate support is vital to the future of the festival, along with philanthropic and government backing. "I don't feel like there's any artistic compromise," she said. "In fact without it, it simply wouldn't be possible to deliver a program of this scale, and particularly with the amount of free programming." Corporate partnerships are on brand for Craig & Karl, who are these days based in New York and London, and have worked with companies such as Nike, Apple, Google, Vogue, and LVMH. The duo is also presenting a citywide art trail and an exhibition at the Griffith University Art Museum. Over 23 days, the Brisbane Festival will feature the work of 2260 artists. At the launch of the program on Wednesday, burlesque performer Bettie Bombshell played with fire in a preview of cabaret show Gatsby at the Green Light. There was also a sneak peek at The Lovers, a pop-music reinterpretation of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Brisbane company Shake & Stir's artistic director Nick Skubij. On the dance slate, renowned French choreographer Benjamin Millepied is staging three works with LA Dance Project, the triptych Gems, commissioned by luxury brand Van Cleef & Arpels. Bangarra Dance Theatre founder Stephen Page also returns to his hometown with Baleen Moondjan, which will be staged on a barge on the Brisbane River among a set of giant whalebones. Free offerings also include the mass attractions of a drone display titled Skylore, and a trail of candlelit artworks at the City Botanic Gardens. Yet in the background, Australian cultural festivals are being staged in an increasingly politicised environment, according to Bezzina. "Art is inherently political and it's a really difficult and challenging area to navigate," she said. "I don't have any answers for you, but I hope we can lean into a more compassionate place, that allows us to navigate through this really tumultuous time." Brisbane Festival runs from September 5-27, with tickets on sale from Wednesday.
The Age
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
Three Brisbane bridges are getting a technicolour makeover
They have collaborated with Nike, Adidas, Tate Modern and major magazines in the US such as New York, for the cover of which they contributed a portrait of Barack Obama. The Craig and Karl activations will appear on the three bridges from September 5 to 27. Bezzina said their work would also appear in a public art trail throughout the city. Another production that will make use of the river will be Baleen Moondjan, a musical dance piece by Stephen Page inspired by a whale story from Page's grandmother on Minjerribah (Stradbroke Island). 'We are going to set up a barge in front of Queen's Wharf for the beautiful whalebone set that Jacob Nash has created,' Bezzina said. In addition to the popular free fireworks display Riverfire and drone show Skylore, Bezzina said a new light show, Afterglow, would be set up in the City Botanic Gardens to replace Lightscape. Lightscape posted strong attendances in 2023 and 2024 but was criticised for high ticket prices and for occupying the gardens for weeks after the Brisbane Festival had finished and limiting access. ' Lightscape will run only for the dates of the Brisbane Festival, and the ticket price is lower as well,' Bezzina said. The privately owned Twelfth Night Theatre in Bowen Hills, a Brisbane venue given over to amateur theatre for several decades, will get a refresh for the festival to host acrobatic cabaret Gatsby at the Green Light, which enjoyed a sold-out run at the Sydney Opera House in 2023. 'Twelfth Night has done nothing of this scale for many, many years and the transformation is unfolding as we speak,' Bezzina said. A hot-ticket show from overseas will be Gems by LA Dance Project, the modern dance company run by superstar choreographer and former husband of Natalie Portman, Benjamin Millepied. Two shows will pay tribute to pop music icons. Amplified is a theatrical retelling of the life of Divinyls' Chrissy Amphlett, while Tina – A Tropical Love Story is First Nations drag performer Ben Graetz's memoir of growing up a Tina Turner fan in Darwin. Performer Josh Hinton, whose family runs longstanding Paddington Indian restaurant Sultan's Kitchen, will celebrate his upbringing and cook his grandmother's famed chicken curry on the Cremorne stage in A Place in Sultan's Kitchen. 'At the end of the show the audience are invited to eat the curry,' Bezzina said. Already announced stage highlights include the Australian musical The Lovers by Laura Murphy staged by Shake and Stir, and Queensland Theatre's world premiere Back to Bilo, about the Biloelan community's efforts to stop Sri Lankan refugees the Nadesalingam family being deported. The program of free concerts Brisbane Serenades will return with events in Manly, Moorooka, New Farm and St Lucia. Disability-led performing arts event Undercover Arts Festival also returns, with nine different shows. Loading Bezzina, who takes over as CEO of Brisbane Powerhouse on October 20, said that after seven years as artistic director at Brisbane Festival it was time to pass on the baton. 'I'm quite devastated about leaving, but I also think it's important for change, a new artistic voice,' she said. 'I want to stay in my home city, and what a privileged opportunity it is to take on a role like the Brisbane Powerhouse.' Brisbane Festival 2025 runs from September 5 to 27. Tickets and the full program are available at the website.
