William Street Plane Tree Neglect

The saga of the William Street plane trees continues with the Daily Telegraph report below highlighting the RTA finally taking responsibility for the failure of the so called 'Green Boulevard' and the waste of (ultimately) public money. I have been pursuing this matter since the plane trees were first being planted by the Cross City Tunnel contractor over a year ago. At that time I alerted Council staff to the neglect the huge (and at that time healthy) trees were being subjected to during the planting phase. Unwatered, wilting and planted as though light poles and not living valued trees - I asked our staff to intervene. The response at that time and consistently each time I have raised this mess with the Council has been that 'the assets will be rectified by the contractor prior to hand over to the Council'. This is where the problem lies. I suspect no tree expert or aborist was engaged by the CCT to monitor the planting and after care. The results speak for themselves. Residents, business owners, workers, pedestrians, cyclists, drivers and other commuters will have to wait at least another year before we may start to see the promised green canopy pictured below begin to emerge. Trees are not just assets but valued living investments in our urban environment. But then who would have thought you could kill the much maligned and pretty indestructible plane trees? only the RTA.

Plans wilt as RTA kills trees on William Street

By Justin Vallejo, Urban Affairs Reporter
December 17, 2007 12:00am

A PICTURESQUE corridor of newly-planted trees was supposed help a run-down William St become a Parisian-style boulevard following the opening of the Cross City Tunnel. But with the RTA bungling its planting and maintenance effort, up to 64 of the 73 trees are either dead or dying. Instead of a leafy, tree-lined avenue with thick greenery blowing in the wind that was promised in countless artists' impressions, the skeletal grove that has emerged will have to be hacked away by chainsaw this week

Click here to see the depressing pics for yourself.

The RTA has accepted responsibility, offering to replace the trees and hand over management to council after a failed two-year landscaping attempt. The disaster comes days after The Daily Telegraph revealed the State Transit Authority had killed native birds at its Ryde depot. A City of Sydney Council spokesman said they would begin removing 33 of the trees that were beyond salvation from Wednesday.
Another 31 poorly trees will be monitored over the coming months, but hope is fading that they can be saved. Only eight trees are in good condition, while another three planted recently by the council are also flourishing. "Thirty-three replacement plane trees will be planted in April when the weather is more amenable to tree planting to maximise growth and tree health," a council spokesman said. It is the latest scandal to plague the Cross City Tunnel project, which has experienced falling patronage, speed camera controversies and community outrage at road closures.

Council experts found the trees were dead or dying because:
 SOME trees were planted up to 280mm too deep and were covered by too much soil;
 THE PH levels of the soil found within the root balls of some of the dead trees was high, possibly from concrete found in the soil;
 THERE was poor root growth in some trees;
 SOME of the roots did not appear to have been pruned prior to planting; and
 THE trees showed signs of a lack of water.

What was promised:

Can Erskineville survive a Woolworths supermarket?

Residents of Erskineville and surrounding suburbs are running a strong, effective, grass roots Internet based campaign in opposition to the proposed redevelopment of the "Hive' site on Erskineville Road (formerly the Mardi Gras HQ pictured below).

Details on the proposal are outlined below from the recent SMH article. I share the concerns of residents about increased traffic impacts and the potential negative impact upon the existing small shopping strip at Erskineville. I lived in Erskineville for six months in the mid 90's during a period when the shopping strip appeared to be teetering between survival and closing down with many empty shops and only short term businesses. Since then as the suburb has grown and the community identity strengthened (including the successful campaign backed by South Sydney Council to stop the closure and sale of Erskineville Public School) the shopping strip has emerged as a fine example of a diverse and sustainable urban hub as distinct from nearby larger areas and much valued by the local community and visitors alike. These are important broader points in considering the overall impact of this proposal.

It has been interesting to observe the competition between Woolworths and Coles to open more 'boutique' styled supermarkets from 900 to 2500 square metres in size across the inner city over recent years. Competition to infill the pockets where the mega supermarkets have less reach has been aggressive particularly around the Green Square developments but also Potts Point, Surry Hills and Oxford Street precincts.

Being a resident of Potts Point I am a fan of the recently opened Woolworths under the IKON building on Macleay Street. This smaller supermarket has zero parking with a 15 minute pick up zone out front for people who must use a car. Shopping trolleys are prohibited from being taken out of the supermarket. This approach along with a good range of produce and usually friendly staff generally works to make the supermarket very well patronised and popular with the locals. Rather than extinguish competition as was feared it appears to have help stimulate a shopping renewal in the general area with a new butcher, greengrocer and several up market deli's. Other businesses have opened to service the demand for improved shopping opportunities including cafes, florists, travel agencies and clothing stores some making a welcome come back to the area. A neighbouring convenience store did close down but was replaced by a bookshop and now a new popular deli. The competition has also stimulated the redevelopment of the tired Coles competitor under the famous 'Coke' sign. However it has not all been roses with some reports of delivery vehicle issues at the Woolworths and Council is monitoring the loading dock to make sure it complies with the approval. Having made these observations - Erskineville is a long way from Potts Point with a much lower urban density and higher car ownership and usage. So not quite comparing apples with apples.

To understand these issues and the impact of the Erskineville proposal on that community the applicant should provide Council with an independent economic impact study and detailed traffic study and plan. We have had this information provided by supermarket applicants in the past and most recently for the Green Square Town Centre where two reports confirmed the demand existed for several supermarkets in the area.

As most eCouncillor readers know Councillors are required to consider the full and independent planning report prepared by our qualified staff as well as all the submissions made by the public before making a final determination on a development proposal. I look forward to reviewing the officer's planning report in the New Year and the thorough planning committee process to come.

To find out more from the Erkineville campaign go to the Village Friends web site here.

Sydney Morning Herald

Residents off trolley over shop proposal

Jano Gibson Urban
Affairs ReporterDecember 15, 2007
A PLAN to build a two-storey supermarket in Erskineville has outraged residents who fear their narrow streets will be choked with traffic. Artro Management, on behalf of Harold R Finger & Co, the owner of the building on the corner of Gowrie Street and Erskineville Road, is seeking the City of Sydney's approval to excavate and partially demolish the vacant building. In its place it wants to erect a 2138-square-metre, two-level supermarket and specialty store, with a basement car park for 31 vehicles. The supermarket, a short distance from Erskineville and Newtown stations, would be open seven days a week. The development application says it will cater for people who tend to buy a small amount of groceries every few days, making it easier for people to carry groceries home without a car.
Standard shopping trolleys would not be available, customers instead using baskets and basket trolleys."The aim is to provide the customer with convenience and ease of shopping with a range that can be purchased over multiple trips during the week rather than one large purchase," the application reads.
The developer's insistence that the supermarket would be compatible with its surrounds appears to have fallen on deaf ears. Last week, about 200 people attended a meeting at a local church to voice their concerns.
"We are talking about a large supermarket: two storeys. That is not a corner store, by any stretch of the imagination," said Victoria Rati, a resident and member of the Erskineville community group Village Friends. She said extra traffic, including delivery trucks, would make parking problematic for residents and increase noise in the street. The group urged the council to organise an independent traffic and parking study."At the present, sometimes you have to park one to two blocks away from where you live and that's just going to add to the pressure," Ms Rati said.
The supermarket could also jeopardise smaller shops on Erskineville Road, she said."If just three shop owners were impacted this may be sufficient to destroy the fabric of the entire village."

Ian Thorpe Pool Cost Blow Out - Channel 7 News

Channel 7 broke the story on a potential $3 million cost blow out for the much lauded Ian Thorpe Pool built by Council. The claim against Council relates to decontamination costs but the Questions that need to be answered include why wasn't Council's Finance Committee informed? - (of which I am Deputy Chair and Clover Moore chairs). On top of the slippery tiles fiasco and collapse of the Indian restaurant in Surry Hills (see earlier post) what more is Clover's administration planning for ratepayers? See the news story on this link:

Pool battle headed for the courtroom

More on the Ian Thorpe Pool

Being a tolerant and loving Community starts on our Streets

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SYDNEY STAR OBSERVER

by Councillor Shayne Mallard from City of Sydney Council 12/12/2007

FALSE PREACHERS

I was shocked and angry to have so-called “preachers” come to the City of Sydney Council meeting and demand the right to preach gay vilification on our streets in the false and distorted guise of religious freedom. The gay and lesbian community have suffered unjust religious persecution and vilification for centuries and it has no place in the streets of Sydney today.We all know the harm religious bigotry has caused for countless members of our community including family rejection, low self-esteem, self-harm, gay bashings and even death. So-called “preaching” against gays also sadly damages the good name of Christians in our community.In response to the “preachers’” representations I moved the following motion at Council to reinforce our core commitments as a progressive city:

“The Council reaffirms its position that we celebrate Sydney’s diversity and embrace people from all walks of life as equals whether their differences be religious, ethnicity, sexuality or other. The City of Sydney strongly supports anti-vilification and anti-discrimination laws and opposes the vilification of any community members particularly the vilification of homosexual people under the guise of religious freedom by street preachers.”

I strongly encourage members of the community exposed to“preachers” on our streets vilifying gay people to take it to the relevant authorities starting with the Council.

Building collapse leaves broader questions for Council to answer

The evacuation and collapse of a Surry Hills terrace containing a home and restaurant business was the dramatic finale of a potential life threatening disaster on the site adjacent to Clover Moore's much lauded $20 million Surry Hills library.

Whilst Council officials (no doubt advised by lawyers, insurers and the Lord Mayor's media department) are saying it's too early to link the huge construction site next door to the terrace disaster, it defies logic that there is not some linkage that will emerge after proper investigation.

Thankfully no one was injured or killed in the disaster, however an uninsured business has been totally destroyed, jobs and livelihoods lost in the rubble and someone's home is now gone. Not to mention the destruction of part of Crown Street's unique heritage.

How can the Council who impose development conditions on all inner city developments be relied upon to regulate construction when questions are now being asked about the management of their own inner city urban infill developments?

Questions that need to be answered are:

• Is the $20 million underground and three story high development an over-development of the sensitive inner city site that inevitably would impact upon the fragile heritage fabric of neighbouring properties?
• Has Clover Moore tried to force too much development into this small site?
• Is the rush to have this building completed before next September's Council elections putting unreasonable pressure on the contractor and Council management?
• Is the orgy of construction projects being undertaken by Clover Moore's Council (eg Redfern Oval, Glebe Point Road, Water Police site Pyrmont, Sydney Town Hall upgrade, Walter Reid Reserve, Cook and Phillip Park etc) placing strains upon Council's ability to monitor project performance and contractors?

The only way to answer the questions and restore confidence in Clover Moore's Council administration is an at arm's length independent inquiry that does not just look at why the bricks fell down in Surry Hills but looks more broadly at Council's capacity to undertake dozens of multi million dollar construction projects simultaneously. The State Government should undertake such an inquiry.

PS Good news Clover is typically AWOL when something goes wrong at Council. No where to be seen during the legionella outbreak from Council inspected cooling towers, silent during Council swimming pool closures owing to bacteria infections and now missing in action in Surry Hills building collapse.

It's crunch time at the curry house
All that's left of Nasir Uddin's Indian restaurant this afternoon.Photo: Sahlan Hayes
There are going to be a number of investigations done; at this stage it's not anything to do with the building work
Latest related coverage
Restaurant wreck: I'm not insured
Photos: going, going, gone

Edmund Tadros - November 28, 2007 - 3:32PM
A demolition drama in Surry Hills ended this afternoon after an unstable Indian restaurant was finally bowled over by an excavator before cheering onlookers.
As residents welcomed the departure of a television helicopter, which had been hovering loudly overhead for much of the day, the Indian Chilli restaurant's owner, Nasir Uddin, said he would now consider suing. He believes the Crown Street restaurant's foundations had been unsettled by the building of a community centre next door. Firefighters sprayed water on the debris and dust as police, construction workers and council workers looked on.Even Mr Uddin couldn't resist taking a few photos with his mobile phone.A crowd of people had waited since early morning for the building to be demolished, which came after it began to crack last night.
The reason for the collapse is not known at this stage, but Mr Uddin said he believed the construction site next to his restaurant had destabilised its foundations.
The City of Sydney council is building a Surry Hills community centre on the site; the construction company is ProBuild.
ProBuild's state manager Mark Nathan said that it was too early to determine the cause of the collapse."There are going to be a number of investigations done; at this stage it's not anything to do with the building work," he said.
Angus Kell, state manager of Archicentre, the commercial division of the Royal Australian Institute of Artchitects, said the collapse was the result of the restaurant's foundations being exposed to the elements for the first time in years.
"This is a by-product of in-fill development in some of Sydney's original housing estates ... where the building is exposed to weather where it hasn't been for a number of years, and accordingly the foundations appear to be failing," he said.
Mr Kell was unwilling to assign blame for the collapse of the building."It's very difficult to see [who's responsible] without knowing the finer details ... it may be an act of God, we don't know." As the excavator completed its job and firefighters hosed down the
dust and debris, Mr Uddin watched impassively, smoking a cigarette.Asked what he was thinking as his building collapsed, he said of the builders: "Stupid people, they've got no idea what they're doing."Very bad, very sad." Michael Leyland, director of city projects for the City of Sydney council, said it had been a successful day given the situation the council found itself in this morning with the collapsing building.
He refused to accept responsibility for the collapse of the restaurant and dodged the question of whether the building owner and the Indian restaurant business would be
compensated.He said accommodation would be provided to those requiring it, and that insurance companies would now step in.

SMH pictures here.

Shayne Mallard calls upon Council to fund late night Police for Oxford Street

MEDIA RELEASE

Liberal City of Sydney Councillor Shayne Mallard has called upon Lord Mayor and member for Sydney, Clover Moore and her ruling group on the City Council to fund a late night shop front police station and staff for Oxford Street as an immediate action to address growing anti social and homophobic behaviour on the famous entertainment strip.

"The community is tired of all the hand-wringing and finger pointing by politicians and is now demanding action," he said.

Councillor Mallard's proposal is for Council to lease a vacant shop on the south side of Oxford Street and fund the overtime for up to six police officers to be based at the station from Thursday to Sunday nights. The station would close at dawn and officers would be required to undertake regular foot patrols through venues and nearby side streets.

Council could also relocate some of their rangers to the station and offer other community services during the day. Council's Oxford street CCTV could be patched through to the office and monitored for any trouble during peak hours.

"Clearly the proposal will need to be guided by Police and community consultation,"

"Council should not have to get into the business of opening police stations, but in the absence of action by successive Labor governments we are left with little alternative."

"This is a wealthy Council that raises more than $20 million from parking meters and is currently spending $60 million renovating the Town Hall."

"I am asking for some of this wealth to be diverted into community safety and protecting a vulnerable and targeted group in our city,"

Shayne said that the proposed Oxford Street police station would be on a one year trial basis.

" After one year we will be able to measure the effectiveness of this plan and hopefully be reporting a drop in attacks on gay and lesbian members of the community. This would be an effective argument for the State government to continue the funding of this initiative.

Shayne Mallard congratulated the Lord Mayor on her recent street walk with drag show celebrity Maxi Shield and the NSW Police Minister.

"I witnessed the Lord Mayor and her media entourage checking out venues last Friday night,"

"Raising the profile of this serious issue is important but it's now time for meaningful action instead of more words," he concluded.

RELEASE ENDS

8 October 2007

Moore's football attendance labelled a bad call

Clover Moore's decision to accept hundreds of dollars in corporate hospitality from a developer whilst Council is actively considering their major DA and their multi million dollar licensing agreement for Redfern Oval has highlighted just how hypocritical and out of touch the Lord Mayor has become after regularly condemning Councillors and other politicians for accepting (usually indirectly) any support from hotel interests or developers.

This issue has nothing to do with Souths and everything to do with a Lord Mayor over stretched doing two jobs, surrounded by dozens of well paid advisors, hiding behind media spokespersons and splurging $8 million of rate payer's money on an unprecedented communications budget.

Today's Sydney Morning Herald coverage is below:

Moore's football attendance labelled a bad call

Jano Gibson Urban
Affairs Reporter Sydney Morning Herald
page 3 September 17, 2007

WHEN the City of Sydney votes tonight on a new licence agreement with the South
Sydney Rabbitohs, there will be a notable absence in the chamber.The Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, will excuse herself because she accepted corporate box tickets from Souths to one of their games at Telstra Stadium at the beginning of the month.
Her decision to accept the invitation has been labelled "pretty poor judgment" by Shayne Mallard, who decided not to attend the game when he realised there could be a perception of a conflict of interest if he did so.
Cr Mallard said a number of other councillors had also chosen not to accept the invitation after receiving an email from the council's chief executive, Monica Barone, two days before the game explaining that "we are currently assessing a DA for the leagues club and preparing a licence agreement with the football club".
Cr Moore informed the council of her decision to remove herself from discussions on the licence agreement at a finance, properties and tenders committee meeting last Monday. "On Saturday, 1st September, I attended the Rabbitohs game at the invitation of Peter Holmes a Court," she told the council.
"At the time I accepted the invitation I was not aware that the licence agreement was coming up. I very rarely accept invitations like this and on this occasion I only did so at short notice because my plans had changed.
"I don't think this constitutes a pecuniary interest, but I'd rather err on the side of caution. To ensure there is no perception of any conflict of interest I will leave the council chamber and not participate in this discussion or decision."
She had also sought to reimburse Souths for their hospitality, she said.
But Cr Mallard said he was shocked by her decision to attend the event.
"I flagged it. I emailed the CEO, asked the question and [Ms Barone] emailed all the councillors saying, 'This is the situation', but not advising us. Everyone pulled out except for her. I just think it's pretty poor judgment on the part of the Lord Mayor."
He said it could mean Cr Moore has to excuse herself from future discussions and votes on the development application from the leagues club.
Cr Mallard said he did not think Cr Moore's decision not to take part in tonight's vote on the licence agreement would affect the outcome of the vote.
The proposed licence agreement would allow the Rabbitohs to use Redfern Oval and its associated facilities for training purposes and up to eight pre-season or exhibition
matches.
A spokesman for the Lord Mayor said: "Like all councillors, each individual makes conflict of interest decisions on each item discussed. It was probably overkill, but Clover preferred to err on the side of caution and will again on Monday."

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/moores-football-attendance-labelled-a-bad-call/2007/09/16/1189881342926.html

$8 million spin budget coming to your letterbox

Clover Moore's waste of public money continues a pace with the full colour glossy brochure below letterboxed to thousands of residents. Residents have contacted me in total disbelief that so much money is being wasted on flyers and promotions of the Lord Mayor while we still see homeless people begging on our city streets. And you can count on another Clover Moore BBQ party to open this car refuge along with Council's construction site signage that contravenes the Council's very restrictive advertising policies. I support the upgrade but do we need another glossy picture of Clover Moore announcing it? Residents are saying stop the spin and waste of public money.

Wentworth Fun Run

Local Liberals joined 65,000 others to run, walk or be pushed across the new seat of Wentworth in the City to Surf race last Sunday. I joined our local federal MP for Wentworth Malcolm Turnbull (pictured) along with Lucy and Daisy to traverse the full breadth of the electorate. Whilst the race does not take in Oxford Street, the Oxford Street issues (a generalisation I know) were in the news as well (see below). More power to Malcolm as he continues his dedicated work in the area of law reforms for gay and lesbian people.

Turnbull takes on mission for gay and lesbian rights

Phillip Coorey and Sherrill Nixon August 13, 2007

MALCOLM TURNBULL has embarked on a personal crusade to convince his cabinet colleagues to allow same-sex couples the same legal and financial rights as heterosexual married and de facto couples. With cabinet preparing to discuss proposed changes, possibly as early as today, the Herald has learnt that Mr Turnbull, the federal Minister for the Environment, has stepped up his push by individually lobbying fellow ministers for support.
The discrimination faced by same-sex couples was highlighted a month ago when the High Court judge Michael Kirby called for the law to be changed so his partner of 38 years, Johan van Vloten, could have access to a part-pension payable for life should Justice Kirby die first. This right would be automatic if Mr van Vloten were female. The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission published a report in June finding same-sex couples were discriminated against in 58 areas of financial and work-related entitlements.
The Attorney-General, Philip Ruddock, is refusing to comment on the state of deliberations or what he will be taking to cabinet, but the Herald understands Mr Turnbull was involved in helping draft the proposals and wants to steer them through cabinet.

"It's Turnbull who's been pushing for the reforms since the [commission] report," a colleague said.

The backbenchers Warren Entsch, Greg Hunt and Peter Slipper have also lobbied intensely. Mr Turnbull's eastern suburbs seat of Wentworth has a large gay and lesbian population, but a colleague of Mr Turnbull said his motive went beyond retaining his seat. Mr Turnbull's wife, Lucy, is the chairwoman of the AIDS Trust, and the Turnbulls have often raised money for the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation. Read more here.

Catching up with Paris on Cycling...

ABC Radio reports on one of my favourite subjects. Introducing a similar scheme to this for Sydney is part of Council's cycling strategy but it seems the collective view is we need to build a bit more cycling infrastructure before we can successfully introduce a mass bike hire scheme. On Monday night Council will approve a fundamental link in the CBD cycling infrastructure with the King Street CBD connection (see details here) .

Paris bike scheme clocks up 1m rides

Parisians have taken a shine to their city's new bike rental scheme, clocking up 1 million rides since its launch, Paris city hall has announced. More than 10,000 gleaming grey "Velib" bicycles went up for rental at 750 stations across the city on July 15. Their number is set to double to 20,600 by the end of the year. City authorities want residents and tourists to adopt the eco-friendly new system enmasse. Deputy Mayor for Transport Denis Baupin says each bike is already used on average six times per day.

"Once all the stations are up and running, Velib will be carrying as many people as the Paris tramway,"

Velib, a contraction of the French words "velo" (bike) and "liberte" (freedom), is modelled on a successful scheme in the city of Lyon run by advertising giant JC Decaux. JC Decaux is covering the cost of the venture in exchange for exclusive rights to 1,600 hoardings across the city. Registered bikers pay 29 euros ($A46) a year for the rental service, while occasional cyclists can use a credit card to pay a one-off daily fee of 1 euro ($1.60) or weekly charge of 5 euros ($8). Rental is free for the first half hour, rising to 1 euro for the second, 2 for the next and so on - a progressive fee system that is designed to encourage short rents and quick turnover.
Paris joins such European cities as Barcelona, Geneva, Stockholm, Oslo and Vienna, which offer bicycle rentals to try to reduce the number of cars, improve air quality and provide a fun alternative to underground transport.
Tags: environment, france

Green Poles highlights wasted money under Lord Mayor Clover Moore

While the Premier and two job Clover take holidays away from Sydney's cold spell - eCouncillor has been exposing more wasted money under the left leaning big spending Clover Moore administration. Constituents have been asking and some (especially the visually impaired) have been complaining about the proliferation of brunswick green sign posts in the 'villages'. It turns out that 'green poles' have set the ratepayers back over $260,000!! This was never approved nor debated by Council. Contrary to the spin Moore puts on the issue below the approval to remove signage clutter was given by Council way after thousands of litres of green pain had been splashed across the City. In that debate where I praised initiatives to remove duplicated or excessive street signs, I had asked about the approval and cost for the green poles and also the reason for the odd power poles left on the streets in the middle of new granite paving (eg corner College and Oxford Streets). I was promised the information but it was never supplied - forcing me to place the questions on notice in the public interest. Add to this the environmental costs to paint galvanised posts with green oil paints. This is an administration that has too much cash and is wasting ratepayer's resources.

Mayor's green revolution nails its colour to the pole
Sunanda Creagh SMH

MORE than a quarter of a million dollars have been spent painting silver street poles green since Clover Moore became the Lord Mayor of Sydney. Council papers reveal that over the past three years, 5000 galvanised signposts, light poles and traffic signals have been given the forest green make-over, costing $260,500 - more than $50 a pole. The Liberal councillor Shayne Mallard called the project "an outrageous waste of money".
"The council could have used that money to initiate a program of grants to struggling rural councils or bringing people into the city for a holiday from the drought," he said. "Here we are, the state's art gallery can't afford CCTV and we're painting poles green."
Cr Moore defended the paint jobs as part of a broader effort to beautify streetscapes, which began under the council's former chief executive Peter Seamer.
"In June 2004 council unanimously adopted the recommendation of my Lord Mayoral Minute to improve the public domain by reducing signage clutter in the City of Sydney. New poles are now purchased powder coated, which is more durable and economical than painting on site," she said.

New look CSPC strengthens Sartor's control over City Planning Future

Former Sydney Lord Mayor and now Labor Planning Minister Frank Sartor has strengthened his control over the Council he formally ran with the purging of the government appointees to the Central Sydney Planning Committee (CSPC) and replacement with four of his own appointees - two of whom come from within his own department.
The CSPC is a hybrid committee with four government appointments and two Councillors and the Lord Mayor created by legislation to keep town hall politics out of the big end of town planning matters. eCouncillor has been a member elected by the Council since 2005.
The CSPC not only deals with all developments valued at more than $50 million, it also importantly controls the content of new planning rules (LEP's). Currently the City is developing a new LEP called the City Plan, this is running two years behind Clover Moore's original promised completion date and delivered by a strategic planning department without a Director - a void filled by an over-stretched CEO. One suspects the new more assertive looking CSPC will move quickly to take greater control over the City Plan agenda. Watch this space.....

Sartor's former staff replace key architect

Catharine Munro, Urban Affairs EditorJune 27, 2007

THE Government Architect has been removed from a significant role in city planning by the Planning Minister, Frank Sartor, even though the Government had assured Parliament he had no intention of doing so.The Government Architect, Peter Mould, will no longer serve on the Central Sydney Planning Committee, which approves any development worth more than $50 million in the CBD.
"The City of Sydney is back under the control of Frank Sartor," said Shayne Mallard, a Liberal councillor who serves on the planning committee.
Mr Sartor announced yesterday that three of his key departmental planners, along with the architect Keith Cottier, would serve on the board. But Mr Mould, who answers to the Department of Commerce rather than the Department of Planning, did not have his contract renewed.
"I think you need to refresh things," Mr Sartor said. "The skill set has been changed to match the current challenge, and that's all I have done."
Since two positions were due to expire this week, he said, he had decided to change all state-appointed spots. But the Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore, who chairs the committee, said it was "a pity to lose the current members' expertise and particularly the significant role played by the Government Architect".
Among the appointments are three people who worked under Mr Sartor at the City of Sydney, where he was lord mayor from 1991 to 2003. They include Gail Connolly, the executive director of Metropolitan Planning, who would be able to ensure that the City of Sydney's sustainable strategies and those of the Department of Planning were aligned, Mr Sartor said. Also on the committee will be Jason Perica, another former planner with the City of Sydney, who is now the executive director, strategic sites at the department. A former government architect, Chris Johnson, who is the head of cities and centres at the department, will also serve again.
While Mr Sartor said the appointments followed the law governing appointments, the City of Sydney Act 1988, the Royal Institute of Architects labelled the decision
"disappointing".
"The Government Architect of NSW has historically played a very important role in the architecture of the city," said the institute's national president, Alec Tzannes. Among its roles, the committee is overseeing the development of a local environment plan, which will govern planning rules for the local government area. Last November, when amendments to the act were passed just before the state election, Mr Sartor's representative in the upper house, John Della Bosca, told Parliament he had been assured there was no intention of change.
"This minister has advised me that he has no intention of removing the Government Architect from this appointment," Mr Della Bosca said.
Other new appointments to the committee include Christine Covington, a lawyer with planning experience, and Elizabeth Crouch, a former policy director with the Housing Industry Association. The director-general of the Department
of Planning, Sam Haddad and Mr Perica would serve as alternate board members,
along with Mr Cottier.

'Independent' monopoly held by Moore

The SMH today reports the first outside 'hat' to be thrown into the race for Lord Mayor of Sydney in 2008 elections. It's worth noting that current representatives on the City Council are either major party candidates or the well resourced Clover Moore party members. Being an elected MP since 1988 has entrenched the Clover Moore brand and elevated her to almost an iconic symbol of inner city populism. Add to that the $100's thousands in state MP printing allowances and Council's own $7.5 million spin/marketing budget for 2007/8, then how can any non millionaire candidate compete? Without Council wards ( something the Moore Councillors are luke warm about and have delayed by sending off to a special sub-committee to investigate) - the average local community member not in Moore's fan club has very little chance to get elected as a Councillor let alone Lord Mayor.

Mayoral contender from the arts end of London
Sunanda Creagh Urban Affairs ReporterJune 13, 2007

Poll: Does Clover Moore deserve another term?

COUNCIL elections are still 18 months away but the Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, already faces tough competition for the top job in local government.A former head of the Australia Council, Michael Lynch, says he will stand for lord mayor after returning from a stint as an arts administrator in London. "I might come back as lord mayor of Sydney," he said. "Yes, I'm serious, though Sydney might not be serious about it for me. But I would love to grab hold of Sydney and give it a shake while I am still standing."Mr Lynch, 56, a former director of the Opera House and general manager of the Sydney Theatre company, masterminded the revitalisation of South Bank Centre, one of London's top art and music venues. As a colourful independent, free of the shackles of a party machine, he may put a dent in Cr Moore's share of the vote, but the incumbent Lord Mayor is playing it cool.
"It's a democracy, and anyone can run," she said yesterday, confirming that she planned to stand for re-election in September next year.
A former president of the NSW upper house, Meredith Burgmann, has also said she will run and is prepared to stand against Mr Lynch - a friend - to get it.
"I am still amazed that Clover ran again for the state seat, and I am still angry that she sees being the lord mayor as a part-time job," Dr Burgmann said yesterday. "I am from the half of Sydney she doesn't represent. She still thinks of the City of Sydney as the King's Cross area."
Dr Burgmann, an aunt of the City of Sydney councillor and MP Verity Firth, said she thought Mr Lynch needed a higher local profile to win the lord mayoralty.
"I think that Michael is a lovely man and it would make a very interesting vote because he would certainly appeal to the same demographic as Clover," she said.
"It won't be the sort of arts community who would be his natural voters; it's the residents, and it's residential issues that decide the City of Sydney vote."

In the City of Sydney, voters elect the mayor directly.

Images of Winters Day in East Sydney

Two men and a dog chat William Street 3pm Monday

Iconic Towers and Coke sign Kings Cross

Holiday Inn Potts Point

Contemporary infill Victoria Street

Winter Plane Trees stormy sky Potts Point

Vale Laura Chaffey MBE

It is with sadness that I record the death of long term party member Laura Chaffey who passed away at her beloved St Luke’s on Sunday 27 May at age 94.

Miss Chaffey or Sister Chaffey as many people knew her was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) in the 1980 New Year’s honours in recognition for her services to nursing at St Luke’s Hospital Darlinghurst and for her charitable work. For all her working life Laura was in the nursing profession and for many years she was the sister in charge of the fourth floor at St Luke’s in thoe days when St Luke’s was the major surgical hospital in the City’s east and before St Vincent’s Private Hospital was built. Most of Sydney’s major surgeons operated at St Luke’s and there was always a long waiting list amongst those who had the misfortune to be ill to get onto the fourth floor where Laura’s kindness and compassion were renowned.

But to many people Laura was more than a nursing sister; she held strong, compassionate, progressive liberal political views based on the Menzian tradition and no doubt because she came from a family with a strong commitment to community and political service.

Born in Tamworth in 1913, Laura grew up in a political household and saw her father Frank campaigning for a better deal for rural people. He was soon elected as the local Country party member for Tamworth in the NSW State Parliament where he served as Agriculture Minister in the pre-World War II Stevens UAP-Country Party Government. Her late brother Bill succeeded his father as the local member and he too served as Agriculture Minister in the Askin-Cutler Liberal-Country Party state government.


Laura was believed to be a life long member of the Liberal Party belonging to the Elizabeth Bay-Points Point branch since 1974 (as far back as the branch records go) and was well known for lending her considerable support and encouragement to many an Eastern suburbs aspiring political leader and was last seen just before the March state election attending the local Liberal campaign launch. She was very proud of our local representatives including her fellow branch member Don Harwin MLC and member for Wentworth Malcolm Turnbull.

Our community and the Liberal Party is a lesser place when we say goodbye to people like Laura Chaffey. I will always be thankful for the encouragement she so unstintingly provided in her inimitable clipped and precise way, always tinged with her wonderfully dry humour and wry smile.

Her funeral will be held at 1.30pm on Friday 1 June, St Marks Anglican Church, Darling Point.

(Pictured Laura Chaffey with Malcolm Turnbull at a Liberal party branch function.)

Listen to Jan Ghel Danish Architect

Visiting Danish Architect Jan Gehl’s media conference earlier this week is available to listen to on podcast. Note Council's information to the media below:

World-leading expert Danish Architect Professor Jan Gehl was the guest speaker
at a press conference on Tuesday. Professor Jan Gehl and his team have been engaged by the City of Sydney to conduct a Public Spaces and Public Life survey just as he has done in London, Copenhagen, Wellington, Stockholm, Rotterdam and Zurich. Gehl's study will be a landmark urban design initiative for the City to help strike a balance between people, cars and the built form. His Sydney study has been commissioned by the City to feed into our long-term strategic plan - Sydney 2030.
"A good city is like a good party - people stay longer than they planned to because they are enjoying themselves,” Professor Jan Gehl said.

"With smaller households, longer lives and increasingly spread dwellings, the public realm and public life obtains an increasingly important role as the direct meeting place between society and the individual.

"A good public realm where people from all walks of life naturally and casually meet is important for democracy, social cohesion in society, the notion of an 'open city' and the feeling of safety."

To hear Tuesday’s conference, download the podcast which is available on the City of Sydney website.

Danish Architect inspires Sydney's future

Reader's of eCouncillor will be well aware of my great passion for Copenhagen and all things Danish. So it will be no surprise that I am excited that the City of Sydney has engaged the professional services of Jan Ghel the renown Danish architect to undertake a 10 month study of the Sydney CBD. The objective is to facilitate pedestrian and related activity and to 'reconquer' Sydney for the people on the streets. With 400,000 daily workers and visitors our streets and public spaces need to be more than conduits between work, transport and shops.

Ghel has worked for cities all around the world including Melbourne where most observers would agree his guidance has turned the Melbourne CBD from desolate car dominated streets in the mid 90's to a vibrant and bustling CBD full of people, art and activity today. Melbourne Council gives him the credit for changing city policies in the mid 90's. The City of Sydney's hope is that Ghel can guide our city towards a path of a more quality urban experience and enhanced human scale public spaces in the CBD. This will mean challenges including ultimately taming the dominance of the private motor vehicle in the CBD. But other cities are doing it and the results are not just a more livable city but higher economic productivity and social cohesion.

Today's SMH reports on Jan Ghel:

City with a hole at its heart shown how to get back on its feet

City with a hole at its heart shown how to get back on its feet

A walk on the wild side … Professor Gehl braves the traffic on George Street yesterday.Photo: Peter Rae

Catharine Munro Urban Affairs EditorMay 9, 2007

TRAFFIC managers are good at monitoring car movements, but no one is studying how pedestrians use the roads, says the Danish architect Jan Gehl. The oversight could be costly. Professor Gehl believes Sydney - like Melbourne, which he began to study while on sabbatical there in the 1970s - is a "doughnut", because it has nothing in the centre.

"A great proportion of those who use the streets, they have nobody to represent them … they have gradually been treated worse and worse until, in America, they go home and stay home and watch TV and go to the shopping mall and that's the end of life," he said.

The City of Sydney has budgeted almost $300,000 for Professor Gehl's team to observe how pedestrians use the city centre. Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne have also used his services. Melbourne is on his list of nine international success stories. Its achievements have been measured through counting how much life had entered the CBD: the residential apartments, the pavement cafes and the nightlife.

City of Melbourne's director of city design, Rob Adams, said Professor Gehl's two studies, in 1994 and 2004, allowed the city to assess the effect of the changes they made, including the closure of Swanston Street. "Suddenly Swanston Street is the most successful retailing street in Australia," Mr Adams said.
Sydney pedestrians could also "reconquer" the city from the car, Professor Gehl said. "I have the feeling that we should be a little bit bold here and a little bit brave."

City of Sydney already plans to give pedestrians room to move on one of its busiest intersections. They have been buying properties opposite Town Hall - including the Woolworths building - in the hope of making room for a park.

A particular bugbear is the pedestrian push button at traffic lights. Professor Gehl argues walkers should not have to "apply" to cross the road. In a study of London traffic, he found most pedestrians crossed against the lights. "Crossing the road is a human right," he argues.
A spokesman for the Roads and Traffic Authority retorted that "not getting hit by a car" was "beneficial to human rights".
Professor Gehl suggests creating a continuous footpath on main streets, so that cars have to drive over the raised area. "Then the cars have the problem," he said.
His recommendations on Sydney will be released in September.

Community centre's $20m price tag

From today's SMH - more later.....

Sunanda Creagh Urban Affairs Reporter

THE City of Sydney's plan to build a community centre in Surry Hills, which has exceeded its original budget by more than $13 million, was approved by the council's finance committee last night. The Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, used her casting vote at the special meeting. The centre will include childcare facilities, a library and meeting rooms, and will cost as much as $19.9 million. The council's 2006-09 corporate plan budgeted for only $3.6 million. The Deputy Mayor, Chris Harris, said he was told that incorporating green sustainable principles into the building had driven up the cost. "But sustainability shouldn't cost that much. I thought it was crazy it's gone up so much," Cr Harris said. "I think this project is very, very important to Clover Moore because this is the heart of her support in Bligh."

Cr Tony Pooley, the former mayor of the defunct South Sydney Council, said the centre was first planned by his old council. "The Surry Hills community centre started off under South Sydney. Our report in March 2003 recommended the facility would cost $2.2 million. It's just inconceivable how much it's gone up," he said. "It's a bigger complex than South Sydney envisaged. The green stuff is good and there's an extra floor being dug underground but even since we knew about that it's doubled."

Councillors have asked staff to provide more detail on the cost blowout, but so far had been denied it, Cr Shayne Mallard said.Cr Moore said there was no point comparing old and new project plans. "Previous figures were based on a different project proposed by the former council, or preliminary assessments of the current design."

Richard Francis-Jones, an architect with the firm that designed the building, Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp, said sustainable building principles should not be blamed for the rising cost of the Surry Hills centre. "To say that that number is due to sustainability concerns is completely wrong. Generally speaking, if one is trying to produce a sustainable building, it may involve additional expenditure but in terms of
whole of life costs it's generally less." Work on the centre, in Crown Street, was due to begin this month but has been delayed by councillors fighting over the cost.

City prepares for Public Safety

After the horrors of 911 and the London train bombings I called upon Council to take practical steps in preparing our city for a public emergency. Since that time the City's CCTV has been significantly upgraded and expanded. High level security meetings between all levels of government have been underway and for those of us on the streets of the city some tangible evidence of planning as the Daily telegraph reports below. Lets hope that these measures are never needed.

Blaring sirens for APEC

By Lillian Saleh May 07, 2007

ALMOST 50 loudspeakers and sirens will be installed across the Sydney CBD under a State Government plan to safeguard the city during the APEC Summit.
With city workers and visitors facing the prospect of road closures at short-notice, they will now also be warned of any security breaches or terrorist threats via this equipment as 21 of the world's leaders converge on Sydney this September. Sydney City Council has agreed to a request by the State Government to allow 49 public announcement and siren systems to be put on smartpoles. It will also allow for the installation of 12 variable message signs (VMS) on the smartpoles – which are multipurpose street poles with street lights and CCTV cameras – and one on the railway structure of the Cahill Expressway.

A copy of a Principles of Understanding agreement obtained by The Daily Telegraph stipulates 13 conditions including that the PS and VMS system "will be primarily used for communicating and assisting the public to safety in the event of a major incident".

The loud speakers and sign boards will be used to alert CBD workers, residents and visitors of a terrorist attack or natural disaster and guide them to safety. But under the agreement, the council will have the right to use the technology at major city events including New Years Eve. In return, the council will not charge the State Government rent for using the smartpoles. The systems are not permitted to be used for commercial advertising or promotional purposes.

"Except in the event of emergency, the hours of use of the PA system, and message relayed, will be limited to minimise disturbance to members of the public," the agreement states.

Liberal Councillor Shayne Mallard yesterday welcomed their installation and called for a public education campaign. "I have previously called upon the City Council to work more closely with State and Federal governments to improve safety for our 400,000 CBD workers and visitors," Mr Mallard said. September 7 has been declared a public holiday for Sydneysiders with the State Government last week launching a tourism drive to encourage residents to get out of town during the September 7 – 9 long weekend. It is understood a state-wide public holiday wasn't declared because it would have encouraged country locals to head to Sydney.

Secret 35% increase in 'Spin' budget

The problem with Council budgets and Corporate Plans is that they are an omnibus of good and bad spending proposals. On one hand the budget proposes expenditure in areas like child care and libraries and on the other hidden away in confidential briefing papers is a proposal to increase the budget for spin for the council communications unit from $5.52 million in the 2006-07 budget to $7.46 million in the 2007-08 budget - that's a whopping 35% and means more glossy brochures and more slick advertising promoting the City - and the Lord Mayor along the way. The Sydney Morning Herald reports today:

Spin cycle: council PR boost hidden in wash

• Sunanda Creagh Urban Affairs Reporter
  May 7, 2007

THE City of Sydney council has secretly proposed increasing funding for public relations by more than 35 per cent.

A confidential document, sent only to councillors, reveals a plan to increase funding for the council communications unit from $5.52 million in the 2006-07 budget to $7.46 million in the 2007-08 budget. The unit includes public affairs, publishing services, community consultation and marketing.

"Spin! Looks like they have been taking lessons from the Labor Party," said Cr Shayne Mallard, who opposes the plan.

The money is not for the PR team of the Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, which is funded separately. But Cr Mallard said the Lord Mayor still benefited.

"They are pumping out brochure after brochure with Clover's picture on it. There wasn't a communications department like this three years ago," he said, adding that the proposed change should not have been hidden in confidential papers, unable to be viewed by the public.

The document says increased funding was required "to meet demand for community consultations and higher standards for community information on council services and programs, plus consultation related to [local action plan]projects, the city's capital works and for the Sydney 2030 project in 2007-2008."

The council's chief executive, Monica Barone, said public consultation was anexpensive but important part of the council's $150 million capital works plan for the coming year.

"Every time we [propose a change] to a park or a community centre, we advertise a meeting, talk to people, bring draft designs, we do two or three meetings. Those things cost money but they really pay off," she said.

The proposed communications budget was a fraction of the council's operating expenditure and the figures would be made public once the financial plan was put on exhibition, she said.

Paving standards reviewed

It’s great that the Sunday press take up the important issues confronting our city…but if you are wearing high heels and take a tumble in Martin Place then you would appreciate that this problem has been raised and acknowledged by Council. I have received several complaints from women about tripping over on our granite paths and after yesterday’s coverage more have come forward including an MP. It is a serious issue with the potential for a life long injury caused by falling hard onto the unforgiving granite. What this issue does highlight is the variation in standards for laying granite around our city streets.

There are different specifications for various projects around town. Not only are the gaps and joints different but also some areas are cemented down and others layed on a weaker sand and cement mix. The result of this is that on some streets we can lift out granite paving stones, sit them aside and then relay them when work is completed eg Oxford street. In other areas contractors have to cut and jackhammer out the granite and then lay new stone to make the paving repairs. An example of this is William Street. People stand shaking their heads as they watch the new granite cut and ripped out by telecommunications contractors. Not a very ‘sustainable’ use of resources.

Council officers are very aware of my consistent concerns about this wastage and are in fact attending a national conference on ‘street paving and openings’ where issues like this and the authority of utilities to open foot ways without consultation with Councils will be discussed.

Martin Place a hazard for heels

By Ellen Connolly April 15, 2007 12:00

Sydney City Council has to undertake essential repairs to Martin Place - because of women's shoes. Each week, scores of women are getting their heels caught in gaps in the deteriorating granite paving. Not only are they ruining expensive stilettos, the risk of injury has heightened.

"It has become dangerous,'' Sydney City councillor Shayne Mallard said. "Women could break their wrists - never mind breaking a $100 pair of shoes.''

Lord Mayor Clover Moore agreed, and last week ordered urgent repairs be carried out. Ms Moore told a recent meeting she also wanted a review of construction standards for granite paving. Anna Farrow welcomed the council move because it would reduce her shoe bill.
"My shoes get caught most days and I'm always getting them reheeled,'' the 21-year-old bank worker said.
The paving was laid in 1998 as part of a $15 million facelift of Martin Place. But the rubber joint filling has deteriorated, creating 10mm gaps. Anna Balashova, 25, said her heels were often getting stuck.
"I'm very conscious now when I'm walking. I'm quite tall and it's a very high fall for me. It's every girl's concern.''
Councillor Mallard said the issue was of public safety as women had reported falling over. "A woman contacted me and said her heel got caught she fell over, face forward and broke her shoe,'' he said.
"The gaps are just too wide. It could lead to a lifelong injury.''

Council Adopts 10 year Cycling vision

Cycle Strategy and Action Plan 2007 - 2017

Below is my speech in endorsing the Council's adoption of the Cycle Strategy.

I was initially cynical about the worth of 'earth hour' last Saturday night. But after this Council got on board and I started hearing the enthusiasm of so many people willing to support an action that was as much about being something within the power of each person to make a small difference as it was symbolic of our city and society to start cleaning up our environmental act. The success of earth hour said to me that people are looking for a way that they can personally make a difference in their day to day lives.

Symbolism is important but short lived if it is not followed up by actions and reforms. And so it is more than symbolic that 48 hours after earth hour we are adopting the Cycle Strategy 2007 - 2017 for the City of Sydney. Individuals want to know what they can do to help our environment, to reduce car dependency, to reduce traffic
congestion and live a healthier lifestyle. They want to know how they personally
can make a difference in a city of millions. Through this strategy as we roll out its funded Action Plans we are providing an important opportunity for people who live, work and recreate in this City to reduce their footprint on the environment and lead a healthier and happier life.

This Council and organisation has travelled a long way in the three years since
we initiated a comprehensive rethink on how this city approaches cycling. My hope three years ago was that we would one day be building separate cycle lanes across the city and I set that in my mind as a long term objective. However the fact is that as I struggled with resistance to this from various quarters, I came to the reluctant view that getting a painted lane network was better than nothing at all and that in time as usage grew pressure would force the powers that be, to start to build safer separated lanes that encouraged more people to rediscover the joys of cycling.

So I am very proud that after three years of hard work by staff, consultants and stakeholders (not to mention my colleagues particularly Clrs Harris & McInerney) that we have a comprehensive strategy that is of course not perfect or totally complete but that lays down the framework and principles for this city to embrace a broad based cycling culture over the next decade. A strategy and action plan that allows each resident, worker and visitor an opportunity to make an ongoing personal contribution to reducing our impact upon the climate.

More information on the cycle strategy here.

Clr John McInereny and me cycling in the City.

"It has a sniff of pork to it,"

The SMH reports on Clover's $350 million spending spree. She can't spend it fast enough rewarding her loyal village voters. Meanwhile the CBD where ALL the wealth was created does not get its share reinvested. Cracked and uneven bitumen paths still represent the majority of CBD footpaths. Roads continue to show signs of advanced wear and tear. Key pedestrian and commuter links wait for yet another study as do the retailers as they beg for more marketing resources. Most CBD parks are in desperate need of some TLC. The state of the Pitt Street Mall with cracked and damaged paving is an embarrassment. And finally the homeless and not so homeless lie in doorways and block footpaths begging for cash as if we are in the 3rd world.

Catharine Munro Urban Affairs Editor March 29, 2007

TAYLOR SQUARE, Sydney's meeting point for drunks, drag queens and office workers, is in town planners' sights for yet another makeover.
The City of Sydney has the Oxford Street nightclub hub on its list for refurbishment as part of its substantial $350 million program that started three years ago and will continue for the next four years.
Planners are yet to decide how they will do it, but they want to combat public fears about safety on the square, which is presided over by the historic Supreme Court building but ruled by nightclubs and pubs.
They are considering it as a new spot for jazz performances and offering busking licences, as well as installing more public art. They also want to build a cafe above a disused toilet outside the Supreme Court to encourage people to enjoy the open space.
"It's been dead space for some time ... It's meant to be a community meeting place, a place to gather," the council's general manager of special projects, Steve O'Brien, told the Herald.
But that is easier said than done, says Cr Tony Pooley, who presided over a major renovation of Taylor Square as mayor of South Sydney Council before it joined the City of Sydney three years ago. He spent $5.25 million for a water feature and terraced grass on the so-called Gilligan's Island side of the square, which opened in 2003. He believes the plan failed because Taylor Square is just too busy.
"We had this idea that people ... might break out the paper and have a bit of coffee," Cr Pooley said. The high-speed traffic on Oxford Street and the number of pedestrians made it impossible for people to take in the atmosphere, he said.
The $350 million budget will be spent on sites across the City of Sydney, which runs from Redfern to Rushcutters Bay and up to Glebe, following the amalgamation with South Sydney and parts of Leichhardt.
Following a 12-month community survey, the council plans to start spending what the Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, argues were excessive cash reserves accumulated through past underspending on facilities and infrastructure.
"These are concept plans at this stage," said Cr Moore.
But a Liberal councillor, Shayne Mallard, said the spending should be spread over a longer period of time.

"It has a sniff of pork to it," Cr Mallard said.

Another election is over - but who really won?

Finally another election has come and gone (well nearly gone). The new seat of Sydney has rewarded its big spending Lord Mayor by electing her MP. The Liberals have come second in the contest for the first time since losing the old Bligh in 1988. Councillors celebrated various personal triumphs with champagne after Monday night's committee meetings. I raised a glass to the second Rabbitohs victory.

Vote4Cycling.com.au

Edward Mandla on the inner city campaign trail

Electorate of Sydney candidate Edward Mandla may be a heterosexual father of three, but he's also a man for the gay community, he tells Sam Butler.

"Gays don't care about gay and lesbian issues - they care about land tax."

The NSW Liberals did their homework when selecting Edward Mandla as their candidate for the State seat of Sydney: powerfully built, with exfoliated and moisturised skin, distinguished grey hairs and a handsome smile, he's an ideal 'Daddy' fantasy for the otherwise politically-ambivalent 'twinks' residing in and around Stonewall.
Stonewall, in fact, is where Mandla recently launched a fundraiser, without actually addressing any gay and lesbian issues in his speech! He points out, in his defence, that he was there as part of Shadow Mental Health Minister Judy Hopwood's launch of the Opposition's $396 million mental health policy.
Mandla cites Labor's failures in mental health as a prime reason for his decision to throw his hat into the political arena; and becoming Member for Sydney would be a commendable addition to an already impressive resume, including Immediate Past President of the Australian Computer Society (ASC) and current director of Smartforce Solutions.
The father-of-three identifies as a strong family man, but his concept of family is vastly different from that of the Liberal Party's 'family values' proponents. Unlike former Prime Minister Paul Keating, Mandla believes "a man and his dog" does constitute a family, and says the current definition of 'family' pushed by most of his counterparts is in need of a shake-up. To this end, he claims he is the "crusader" needed to challenge homophobic attitudes in a party not renowned for being queer-friendly. In Mandla's view, the Liberal Party is not so much the "broad church" that John Howard describes, but "a high-rise building in the CBD in which every part of society resides" - including, apparently, gay-friendly IT gurus.
So just how gay-friendly is Edward Mandla? "[My] entire campaign team is gay", he says, including his campaign director. He identifies "hundreds" of gay and lesbian friends, including "lonely older gay men" whom he speculates might not be so lonely now if they had the opportunity to commit to one another via civil unions years ago. Consequently, he's strongly in favour of such unions and guarantees to be vocal in his support should he pull off the minor miracle of knocking Clover Moore out of the seat she's held for nearly 20 years.
He claims, however, that his many queer friends aren't talking to him about such issues - "they're talking to me about land tax!" Perhaps this explains why the words 'gay' and 'lesbian' don't appear anywhere in the Liberals' 2007 State election policy platform. Despite this absence, Mandla believes that equality will be achieved for gays and lesbians - in fact, he maintains that it's a done deal, and offers an optimistic time-frame of 'five to ten years' (even under Howard and/or Debnam governments) by which time equality will be achieved. There's even a bold assertion that civil unions will happen under a Liberal government sooner than a Labor government, due to resistance in the latter from old-school Catholic unionists.
Which brings us to the Iemma government. After 12 years of an administration that, even by its own admission, "has more work to do" (a euphemism, perhaps, for wasted opportunities, economic mismanagement and prolonged incompetence) why aren't the Liberals streets ahead in opinion polls? Mandla is actually encouraged by the Liberals' underdog position: "I just love those polls - we're exactly where I want us to be. People are becoming more and more angry that the government could be returned, and increasingly I see people who have never voted Liberal, who may secretly do that for the first time. I love it."
As for his main opponent, Clover Moore, Mandla admits that although he once held this "folk hero" in high esteem as a social champion, he argues that as both the Member for Sydney (formerly Bligh) and the city's Lord Mayor, she simply doesn't have time to "chain herself to trees in Rushcutters Bay"; to represent her constituents as she used to. He believes that Moore has lost hitherto-held respect since taking on two jobs, and claims to be tapping into a well of disgruntled voters who supported her at the last election but now seek a "full-time" member.
Does he believe he can beat Clover? "I'm narrowing the gap. But I have a $50,000 budget - money I raised personally - and I'm up against her 90k-a-month public relations budget. You saw what happened in Mardi Gras, that's what I'm up against. It's hard."
Still, Mandla exudes the confidence one would expect from a successful, self-made businessman, and it's difficult to doubt his conviction that the only way the Liberal Party will improve its generally appalling history on GLBTI rights is for 'new blood' to join up and, over time, chip away at entrenched homophobic policy.
"These things don't happen overnight", he says, which is certainly true. (They also shouldn't take 11 years, which is how long queers have had to wait for their government to address discriminatory Commonwealth legislation.)
With accusations from his staff that the queer media give the Liberal Party 'a rough time', what's the one key, unedited message Edward Mandla wants to get across to SX readers? "Call me!"
It's an open invitation, as the man is keen to consult with his prospective electorate - so go nuts, everyone.
And as a final suggestion: "Don't be afraid to put a 1 in the Liberal box, even if you've never done so before. You don't even have to tell anyone - just make sure you do it."

Save Crown Street Reservoir Rally this Saturday

LINK HANDS TO SAVE THE CROWN STREET RESERVOIR THIS SATURDAY - AN URGENT APPEAL LINK HANDS TO SAVE THE RESERVOIR AN URGENT APPEAL FOR YOUR SUPPORT

This Saturday February 24th the Shadow Minister for Planning and Redfern Waterloo, Chris Hartcher will visit residents protesting the subdivision and sale of the Crown Street Reservoir. The purpose of the shadow minister’s visit is to be briefed by residents on the issue and to make a statement on the future of the reservoir site.

Show the visiting shadow minister and media the extent of resident opposition to the subdivision and sale of the Crown Street Reservoir. Be at the gates when the Shadow Minister and media contingent are in attendance.Residents plan to link hands and form a human chain across the Crown Street frontage of the reservoir. This is a potent symbol of how the community has come together and is united in our determination to protect this historic landmark.

Show your support and be there.In the heat of an election campaign the NSW Government will have to respond to any promises made by the opposition. It only through showing the depth and strength of community opposition to the subdivision and sale of the reservoir that we can get promises to save it! Please arrive at the gates of the Crown Street Reservoir by 1.00pm. CRAG will be there as usual from 10.00am.

The shadow minister and media are expected at 2.00pm.The gates of the reservoir are located on Crown Street Surry Hills between Reservoir and Campbell Sts. Bring your friends and family.Visibility is everything. Bring banners and placards to decorate the gates. Make the most of this opportunity to save the Crown Street Reservoir.

Crown Reservoir Action Group [crag@unwired.com.au]

eCouncillor update

A few eCouncillor regulars have been contacting me asking where is eCouncillor!!


Over the Christmas break we have been working to relaunch the www.shaynemallard.com web site and blog after technical headaches with this site (ie like inability to upload pictures). We plan to be back on a more regular basis in February as the Council returns to the conveyor belt of reports and outcomes. Please stay tuned. Shayne


PS Here I am with my partner Jesper and the mighty Ashes urn! Too get so close was a treat at the South Sydney 'Rabbitohs' charity cricket day held at South Sydney's Allan davidson Oval earlier in January. Congratulations to Peter Holmes aCourt and his team on supporting the community and broadening the offering for the Rabbitohs fans.