News today that Clover Moore will not lead an important study tour of US light rail systems organised by Professor Ed Blakely. eCouncillor readers will recall my recent post on Blakely's address to the SGLBA (read it here). The 'junket' as Clover's spin puts it could have been organised at no cost to the Sydney rate payers with invitations extended by US host cities and Sydney business community support. There is more to business leadership in this city than fancy silver service 'business round table' lunches in the Lord Mayor's private reception room. Read my letter to the Editor following the Telegraph article below:
Mayors' US transport trip
EXCLUSIVE By LILLIAN SALEH, Urban Affairs Reporter
June 02, 2006
DELEGATES from three Sydney councils will head to the US tomorrow to find out what we already know – our transport system is ailing and in urgent need of an upgrade.
Ratepayers will pay $16,000 for the Mayor of Canterbury and Leichhardt's environment management director to criss-cross several US states for a week.
Parramatta's Mayor will join them but his costs will be covered by a scholarship.
The tour will be led by Sydney University Professor Ed Blakely, who until recently headed the State Government's metropolitan strategy reference panel.
Canterbury Mayor Robert Furolo, Parramatta Mayor David Borger and Leichhardt Council director of environment and community management Leta Webb will join Mr Blakely as they tour San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, Pleasant Hill, Portland, Denver, Dallas and Washington DC.
They will study cities which have embraced a transit oriented development approach to planning, which involves designing developments around better public transport systems.
Mr Blakely said the delegates would investigate how some US cities had successfully been revitalised by improving light and heavy rail networks and reducing reliance on cars.
He defended the tour and said it was vital local councils kept up with world practice. "Most reporters wouldn't want to do this much work," he said.
"The issue here is you can't be a leader without knowledge. We are part of the world and we need to know what's going on."
Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore – who is a big fan of light rail and discussed the idea of the tour with Mr Blakely several months ago – yesterday said she declined his invitation because she did not believe in spending ratepayers' money on "junkets".
"Clover doesn't go on junkets," a spokesman said. All three councillors denied the trip was a junket.
Leichhardt Council delegate Leta Webb said the study tour would prove invaluable when putting together the area's new local environment plan.
"This is a highly structured activity. I know there are some study tours that involve councillors going on a holiday . . . but this is not one of those," she said.
Parramatta Mayor David Borger, who initially withdrew from the tour because his wife is pregnant, will go after securing a Sydney University scholarship.
Mr Borger, who is studying for a masters degree in urban planning, is considered a future key local government figure.
The Daily Telegraph
To the Letters Editor
Dear Editor
Clover Moore is not leading an important study tour of US capital city light rail systems because she has to stay in Sydney for Parliament and not because she 'does not go on junkets' (Mayors' US transport trip 2/06/06). The distinguished urban planning Professor Ed Blakely recently told a recent Sydney business association dinner that Clover Moore could lead the study tour at no cost to the ratepayers and that her second job as a state MP is distracting her from focusing on running the City of Sydney. Professor Blakely told the audience that she should decide which job she wants and quit the other.
When parliament is in recess Clover Moore packs her bags for her fair share of 'junkets' including trips to Japan, stop overs in Singapore and a fun night at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth games in Melbourne - all on ratepayer's money. Most reasonable people do not begrudge her these perks as they are essential in representing our city. However, advocating a $1.5 billion light rail system for Sydney (financed by debt) and not participating in an independent study tour of similar systems overseas, is actually a lack of leadership for our global city and demonstrates yet again that MP and Lord Mayor are conflicting jobs.
Shayne Mallard
Councillor
City of Sydney
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
I have a question for you Shayne.
Why is Sydney Council not making any comments about the proposed re-opening of roads so that motorists can by-pass the Cross City Tunnel easily? I'd be particularly interested in Council's response to the proposed closure of the William Street/Kings Cross Roads bike lane. Especially as this will make a mockery of the Council's proposed Kent Street cycle lanes which will become the most wonderful piece of cycling infrastructure in the city, but will, unfortunately, become the bike lane to nowhere!
Hi Pedallar
I will post on this later but suffice to say that Council is very disappointed about the removal of the bike lanes and especially the one on William Street east of Palmer Street. Clover was on radio very critical of this yesterday and Council spoke on it last night. The removal of bicycle infrastructure is a big step backwards. Those who ride the lane (and patronage was incraesing) the option now is to merge back into the vehicle lane which is less safe and can cause traffic congestion anyway - or go illegal via the massive wide footpaths. From the beginning I called for the bike lanes to be engineered into the footway edge (as in much of Europe). It is and was just too easy for the government of the day to scrub off the paint and make off with our bike lanes. I will speak with bicycle NSW and the BUGS to consider some protest action. On the Kent Street link - this goes to prove that we must keep pushing hard for the infrastructure. Kent Street should be a permanent engineered lane and not just easily removed paint. Shayne
Post a Comment