BEN ELTON has mocked WA’s creeping authoritarianism in a broadside at an arts launch.
The world-famous North Fremantle playwright, author and comedian sledged grog rules while launching the Sculpture@Bathers show on March 15.
“I just want to inject some negative vibe and to speak briefly about these booze restrictions,” he told the adoring crowd of about 50, who’d gathered at Kidogo Arthouse at Bathers Beach.
“I’m quite serious about this. I never heard any political party, on any side of the spectrum, standing for election say there were going to put little fences up and make people queue to sign in, so law-abiding, taxpaying adults wait 25 minutes to get a drink when there is a temporary licence.”
Mr Elton says he’s spoken to local politicians, arguing the creeping authoritarianism throttles Fremantle life.
He says authorities’ fear of yobboes is no reason to criminalise everyone.
“We need, as law-abiding, taxpaying adults to say that Fremantle needs life, it need culture and it needs a party spirit. Every time anyone wants to do anything they are confronted by a raft of mealy-mouthed restrictions for which no-one has voted for.”
He noted Kidogo had run a popular small bar during the world sailing championships and wanted to get it going again. But the red tape had been a nightmare.
“We had to stand behind a one-metre restriction, while people walked up and down and said ‘your toe’s over it mate, get back or there’s going to be trouble’.
“This is silly. Making laws is easy—it’s us that has to live with them.”
Mr Elton told the Herald in an email he felt strongly that most didn’t realise freedoms they’d taken for granted were being whittled away.
“We suddenly have a situation where sculpture exhibitions and school concerts that have happily existed for decades are being required to hire bouncers, stamp and tag parents, restrict children to the length of an apron string and rope off the hospitality, all at prohibitive cost.
“It truly is insane and actually contributes to loutishness by criminalising having a drink and scaring away civilising events in the city.”
by BRENDAN FOSTER
Dear Fremantle Herald
Perhaps you might consider employing a proof reader that understands the English language better than the proof reader who proof read (or didn’t as the case may be) this article. There is many an error, unfortunately. For example, quoting Ben Elton as saying, “…standing for election say there were going to put little fences up..” makes no grammatical nor syntactical nor semantic sense. How very dare you, one might say! In fact, the article is either so poorly written, proof read or dare I say both that it makes little sense! Thus, you have, unfortunately, insulted one of our great, contemporary, comedic writers! Shame on you Herald.
Hi Fleur, the example you used comes from a direct quote, which we wouldn’t change. While the syntax and grammar may not measure up to the Queen’s English, you have to bear in mind that Elton is in full flight and not reading from a prepared script. In “street talk” (bearing in mind Elton’s from Catford, UK, which has a beer festival as one of its main cultural activities and housed Britain’s first curry house) the sentence does make sense so we left it in. Having said that, I did pick that we had an errant “need” which should have been “needs”. And just to be a little cheeky, what’s wrong with saying; “there are many errors”.
In Fleur’s defence there is a misplaced comma after spectrum that would be better placed after election (my error). But pretty much the rest of the article is OK.