Walk for AIDS

ACON, Bobby Goldsmith Foundation (BGF) and Positive Life NSW are once again hosting the Walk for AIDS on Sunday 23 November 2008. Now in its fourth year, the Walk for AIDS raises much needed funds for services for HIV positive people.When: Sunday 23 November 2008, 11am till 2pmWhere: The Domain and Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Shayne 's speech at Walk for AIDS

Thank you Ita

Malcolm Turnbull rang me on Friday afternoon and asked if I could represent him here today. He extends his apologies that he has a last minute interstate travel clash as Leader of the Opposition and that he can not be here with us for this important event.

However I am honoured to do so – not only because I have great respect for Malcolm and indeed Lucy, and their unquestioning commitment to our community, especially the cause of HIV AIDS and the work of the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation.

But also on a personal level I am proud to be here because the three organisations that have joined together for the fourth year now to organise today’s fundraiser and awareness event, BGF, ACON and Positive Life NSW are very important to me personally and I am proud to have worked with them over the past decade or so.

In my 15 years as an openly gay man in Sydney I have witnessed first hand the important work the three organisations do in our community and also with other at risk communities such as sex workers and intravenous drug users.

And as we have seen HIV AIDS evolve from a crisis that stole away so many lives too quickly - to where we stand today managing a chronic illness, that still takes lives, that still greatly impacts on lives and a virus that more people live with today than in its history.

Our three peak community organisations and their dedicated staff and many volunteers have evolved as well, where today BGF, ACON and Positive Life NSW are world leading examples of a longer term sustainable community driven response to this health challenge.

Today’s Walk for AIDS as an opening event for AIDS awareness week and World AIDS Day on 1st December, and it reminds us all as members of the community that we all still live with the great challenges of HIV AIDS.

Whilst we may get tired of hearing about it we must maintain our strong community responses through raising awareness and helping those who live with the virus.

We should also spare some time to consider how fortunate we are to be living in a developed western country and reflect upon the lives of those in developing countries, many of whom are our nearby neighbours in South East Asia and the Pacific where the HIV AIDS pandemic is destroying generations of young men, women and children.

Again on behalf of Malcolm Turnbull congratulations to you all for coming along today and thank you to the tireless organisers and volunteers working not only today but 365 days of the year to help improve people’s lives and safeguard the community when it comes to HIV AIDS.

More voices join lockout outcry - SX News

Written by Peter Hackney with Reg Domingo

City of Sydney Councillor Shayne Mallard and the NSW Council for Civil Liberties have added their voices to the growing list of people and organisations opposed to the 2am-10am lockout for licensed premises, which will apply to 50 venues across the state, including four gay venues, from Monday, December 1.

Liberal councillor Mallard (pictured) told the council’s third Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Forum, held at Sydney Town Hall last Tuesday, that the lockout was an unfair collective punishment that penalised innocent people along with the relatively small number of troublemakers.

“It’s a blunt instrument, a collective punishment for the entire community,” he said. “Two per cent of us are causing trouble and the rest of us are being punished.”
“There is a huge community uproar about it ... I’m getting information from people every day very upset about it.”

Mallard cast doubt on the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) figures used to select the 50 venues. The venues correlate to the top 50 licensed premises for police-reported incidents on BOCSAR’s database.

“I really wonder if the BOCSAR information is sophisticated enough,” said Mallard. “The Stonewall Hotel manager [has said], ‘I call the police anytime there’s a minor assault because I like to keep a very clean house.’ Now he’s being punished for that.”
“Don’t you think using BOCSAR figures like this will discourage [venues] from calling the police?” he asked Surry Hills Police Local Area Commander, Superintendent Donna Adney.
“No, I don’t,” she replied.

Supt Adney added that contrary to claims that BOCSAR data included incidents on footpaths and roads outside premises, it only related to incidents within a venue.
“There is a process whereby BOCSAR can ‘cleanse’ the data to show assaults in premises only,” she told the forum. “It’s not linking data – it’s about assaults in premises only.”
However, Supt Adney admitted that the lockout scheme was problematically selective, and she advocated a possible extension to the lockout, to include all licensed premises: “I would say it probably hasn’t gone far enough in that we have a proliferation of 24-hour and late-night trading venues along Oxford Street. T o put a 2am lockout on only four or five of them is problematic because you can just roll along to the very next venue.”

The NSW Council of Civil Liberties, however, was not convinced of the need for any lockouts at all, let alone an expansion of the scheme.
Stephen Blanks, Secretary of the NSW Council for Civil Liberties (CCL), said the lockouts were “a disproportionate response to a problem that is best handled in other ways”.
Ensuring venues’ adherence to existing responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) laws was preferable to penalising the public, he said.

Blanks told SX that the NSW CCL intended to fight for patron’s rights: “We’ll be closely monitoring the lockout results to see whether there is any reduction in violence. We will lobby the appropriate authorities to ensure that their policies to reduce alcohol-related violence are effective and don’t infringe people’s civil liberties.”

Report to Council and Ratepayers on San Francisco Sister City Visit June 25 – July 3 2008

• 
  Background:
  2008 marks the 40th anniversary of the sister City relationship between the City of San Francisco and the City of Sydney. The Mayor of City and County of San Francisco Mr Gavin Newsom invited the Lord Mayor to participate in the 38th Annual San Francisco LGBT Pride Celebration on June 28 and 29, 2008. The invitation proposed a series of events linking Sydney and San Francisco, including celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Sister City relationship and a special exhibition on the historical ties between the Sydney and San Francisco GLBT communities. The invitation reciprocated the City’s reception of a delegation from San Francisco. The Lord Mayor was not able to personally participate on this occasion and Council resolved on 12th May 2008 to send Councillors Phillip Black and myself to represent the City of Sydney.
  
  By way of background, Sister Cities International is a nonprofit citizen diplomacy network creating and strengthening partnerships between international communities in an effort to increase global cooperation at the municipal level, to promote cultural understanding and to stimulate economic development. Sister Cities International leads the movement for local community development and volunteer action by motivating and empowering private citizens, municipal officials and business leaders to conduct long-term programs of mutual benefit.
  
  To encourage sharing of cultural, trade and tourist links, Sydney City Council maintains sister city relations with the following cities:
  
  San Francisco, California, USA established in 1968
  Nagoya, Japan established in 1980
  Wellington, New Zealand established in 1982
  Portsmouth, United Kingdom established in 1984
  Guangzhou, China established in 1985
  Florence, Italy established in 1986
  
  The Sister City Program began as an initiative of the Eisenhower Government in the United States in 1952 as a way to bring cities and their people together after the devastation of World War 2.
  
  
  City Hall San Francisco with AIDS memorial quilt panels on display
  
  Program of Meetings
  
  To gain the maximum benefit from the short visit a series of formal and informal meetings were arranged with the valued assistance of the Protocol Department in the City of Sydney and the Mayor’s Office in San Francisco. The period of the visit coincided with the celebrations of the 38th GLBT Pride parade (equivalent to Sydney’s Mardi Gras parade) and included several ceremonies and welcome events at which we participated and were acknowledged warmly. I was accompanied by my partner Mr Jesper Hansen who traveled at his own expense.
  
  Zipcar
  Mr Dan Shifrin – Vice President of Zipcar.
  This meeting was to examine the highly successful car share programs in San Francisco.
  

  
  

  
  Car Share and Green Hybrid Taxi’s in San Francisco
  
  Zipcar is the private sector provider of ‘car share’ services in San Francisco and has 700 cars and 20,000 members. Zipcar operates under a private profit model and is owned by Benchmark Capital who also own eBay and other innovative businesses. Zipcar moved into the generally not for profit car share business space offering a different service to the existing not for profit providers. Zipcar offers a seamless car share service to members across the United States which gives it an advantage for business travelers and a mobile work force. They target corporations and have an aggressive program to replace existing corporate fleets that sit largely dormant with their car share vehicles located in basements of corporate buildings for business usage.
  
  Zipcar marketing includes targeting the largest corporations and encouraging Zipcar services as part of employment packages and working closely with corporate travel and sustainability managers. Zipcar do not charge a general membership fee (up to $500 for NFP CarShare) and charge vehicle usage on a per kilometer basis. Sourcing accessible parking spaces for their fleet is the biggest issue with the City not providing on street parking spaces. Their policy is to have a Zipcar within 5 blocks of a customer. As such Zipcars can be seen across San Francisco in leased car spaces within service stations, private car parks and even McDonalds outlets.
  
  Summary: The private for profit sector Zipcar competitor to the NFP CarShare demonstrates an evolution and maturing of the car share concept. COS should be prepared for the challenges of equal access to parking and resources that entry of private sector competition will inevitably bring to Sydney. Competition in this market may bring down costs to consumers, improve marketing and demand, provide more access to services across the Australian east coast and reduce private vehicle dependency and related environmental, traffic and parking challenges for the City of Sydney. The City should encourage more competition in the car share markets.
  
  
  City of San Francisco Chinese New Year Organisers
  Mr Edwin Lee – City Administrator
  Mr Arnold Chin – Parade Director Chinese Chamber of Commerce
  
  
  CNY meeting at City Hall
  
  This meeting was to discuss SF Chinese New Year parade and possible future exchanges of key personnel and organisers and to explore similarities and differences in the sister City approaches to CNY.
  
  Similar to Sydney, San Francisco has a large Chinese and Asian heritage community. Their CNY celebrations and parade are a major tourist and economic benefit to the City. The budget for CNY is US$1.6 million most of which is self funded through events and sponsorship. The City provides only approximately US$50,000 directly but does not account for the ‘in kind’ services estimated to be several hundred thousand dollars in areas such as cleansing, barricades, road closures, venue hires, policing and security etc. Unlike COS this area is not market priced and packaged as part of any sponsorship deal. The CNY brings over one million visitors to SF and the evening parade is televised on special language channels resulting in huge exposure for the City.
  Potential exchanges of personnel were discussed but the difficulty will always be that CNY is at the same time globally and all Chinese community members are either involved in the celebrations or returning to their families.
  
  Summary: Similar to Sydney the San Francisco CNY celebrations are organized in partnership with Chinese community leaders and a Chinese community committee with leadership from the community. San Francisco’s CNY appears more established than Sydney’s and if possible COS should seek exchanges of senior event staff to strengthen our CNY celebrations and maximize tourism and economic opportunities for Sydney.
  
  
  PRIDE Flag Raising Ceremony
  
  
  Annual Flag Raising ceremony & 30th Anniversary of PRIDE Flag. This ceremony took place on the internal City Hall steps area and was followed by a reception and ceremonial flag raising on the Mayor’s Balcony. Mayor Gavin Newsom spoke of the strong and proud history of GLBT community in San Francisco of course referring to the slain GLBT campaigner Supervisor (Councillor) Harvey Milk whose bust overlooks the ceremony. The Councillors from COS were also formally acknowledged and welcomed. The PRIDE festivities were heightened by the community celebrations surrounding the recent State Supreme Court decision that validated same sex marriages conducted in San Francisco City Hall. During our visit we witnessed a huge outpouring of genuine emotions over this decision and strong affection for Mayor Newsom fro his courageous decision to legalise gay marriages at City Hall. The ceremonial unfurling and flying of the PRIDE flag off the Mayor’s balcony over the front steps of City Hall was a much anticipated and emotional event.
  
  Summary: The Mayor’s Balcony ceremony prompted consideration whether the COS Town Hall Balcony over the George Street portico could be better utilised for similar ceremonial events with a Lord Mayor’s special flag pole installed and ceremonies conducted with various community leaders to mark special community occasions such as PRIDE /Mardi Gras, NAIDOC week, Chinese New Year, ANZAC Day etc.
  

Shayne & Mayor Gavin Newsom

Positive Resource Centre (AIDS Research)
Brett Andrews – Executive Director Positive Resource Center
Mike Smith – Executive Director AIDS Emergency Fund
Steve Tierny – Ed D Professor, California Institute of Integral Studies, Health Commissioner
Alex Randolph – Liaison to District 8 LGBTQ Community, Mayor’s Office
Lance Toma - Executive Director Asian Pacific Islander Wellness Centre

Another Charity event

At this extensive meeting over several hours we were joined by famed celebrity community leader and fundraiser Donna Sachet (self described on her business card as ‘Singer, emcee, fund-raiser, hostess extraordinaire’).

This extensive meeting was a consultation with HIV and GLBT community health leaders to discuss how San Francisco was responding to the changing nature of HIV infections, delivering health care to an aging demographic and preventing new infections.

As an overview of the HIV situation in San Francisco and the rest of USA we were told that 92% of HIV infections in USA were gay men whilst only 74% of funding is directed towards them. It is thought that more than one million people are living with HIV in the USA and that more than half a million have died after developing AIDS.

Lance Toma informed us that African Americans and South Pacific men are experiencing a spike in infection rates but this may be a result of better screening and testing procedures in their communities. In San Francisco there are 20 different language groups requiring specialised and well developed communications tools and engagement. Multicultural minorities in San Francisco GLBT community experience racial discriminations similar to those reported in Sydney and result on lower self esteem and possible higher infection rates. Interest was expressed in gaining a better understanding of HIV awareness issues and programs that may operate for Australian ATSI community.

San Francisco has not followed the national trend with increasing HIV rates. This was attributed to a well developed community self care model as evident from this meeting (similar to Sydney’s) and the opening of ‘Magnet’ which is a drop in centre one stop shop for young GLBT people to seek advice, testing etc from community providers. This centre subsequently visited is located in the heart of the Castro district (ie Oxford Street) amongst the popular night clubs, restaurants and bars.

With the advent of antiviral drugs and the shift of HIV from a terminal illness to a chronic heath condition, have come the challenges of an aging HIV positive population. Professor Tierny provided great insight to the challenges of providing quality health care services to long term HIV sufferers. HIV heath services have adapted to providing integrated geriatric health care services for this growing community.

Mike Smith of AIDS Emergency Fund focused on the legal services they provide to clients. In particular in the areas of immigration, tenancy rights, public housing, minor legal issues and employment rights where HIV discrimination is a major problem. San Francisco is viewed as a ‘sanctuary city’ in the USA and therefore a lot of people find themselves their seeking refuge from legal and other persecutions and seek out their services.

Donna Sachet talked about the fundraising challenges after 30 years with the onset of ‘giving fatigue’ - something Sydney experiences as well when so many organisations seek community funds for their work. Whilst in SF several appeals were underway at the one time including a walkathon for HIV and the sidewalk sale during PRIDE.


Shayne visited the National AIDS Memorial Grove dedicated
by Congress as a National Memorial Site.


SFMTA Municipal Transport Agency
Oliver J Gajda – Bicycle Program Manager
Nick E Carr – Bicycle Saftey Education and Outreach MTA Planning
Bridget Bjorna Smith Senior Engineer MTA Planning

This meeting commenced by joining an induction lecture for MTA interns. This gave an overview of San Francisco’s bicycle planning. Sadly the sister City’s share similar inadequate facilities and low levels of cycling. In 2006 a resident took the SF bike plan to court seeking an injunction claiming it was not fully assessed in areas of environment and economic impacts in the long term. The court upheld the complaint and granted an injunction preventing the City implementing any of its bike plan until 2009 by which time comprehensive research and assessment were needed to be in place. A disappointed Mayor Newsom released a statement that summarises the bike plan and way forward:

MAYOR NEWSOM REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO CITY’S BIKE PLAN
San Francisco, CA – Mayor Newsom today reaffirmed his support for significant improvement to bicycling conditions in San Francisco, following a Superior Court ruling that sends the City’s 2005 Bicycle Plan back to the environmental review process and slows the implementation of the city’s goal to create a citywide bicycle network.

“I am disappointed by the court’s ruling on the city’s Bicycle Plan, but I am in no way discouraged from my commitment to making San Francisco a world class city for bicycling,” said Mayor Newsom. “Better, safer bicycling is good for San Franciscans and good for our environment – I remain committed to realizing our goal of a citywide bicycle network, that unites the current patchwork of bike lanes into a unified, comprehensive system. San Francisco has set an ambitious goal to make 10% of all commute trips in the City bicycle trips within the next 3 and a half years.”

In this context the meeting was held with department experts and enthusiasts who rather than seeing the injunction as a set back have embraced it as an opportunity to ‘get it all right’. When the injunction is lifted in 2009 they plan to roll out the new bike plan across the City. One benefit of the injunction has been the ‘mainstreaming’ of the bicycle planning within MTA. Prior to the court decision the bicycle planners were fully funded through state and federal grants. Being unable to meet the grant requirements under the injunction San Francisco took bicycles ‘in house’ to the mainstream budget. Today nine planners work along side pedestrian, parking and traffic planners in the department.

Key observations:
Target 10% commuter trips by bicycle by 2010
State requires each city to have a bike plan and the State funds bike plans
Issues of state and national laws preventing some international measures eg painted lanes in higher stress zones. There is a chance SF can trial these measures and if proven successful they may be approved for elsewhere in USA. This is how pedestrian crossing counters were introduced in SF and USA.
SF has developed the ‘sharrow’ which is two arrows in shared traffic lanes where cyclists can ride knowing they are outside the ‘car door zone’ of parked cars which is still the highest area of accidents and injuries.
It is noted that wearing helmet whilst riding is not compulsory for adults in SF though highly recommended by SF authorities.
Currently 2000 bike racks are grouped and installed across the city – where space is not available on street car parking space is utilised.
Bike plan has conducted road audits and identified roads built with over capacity and allow for bike lanes to be implemented
San Francisco is favouring painted bicycle lanes on wide streets.
Parks and key links through green space are shared corridors for cyclists
‘Coexist’ education program involves building behviour change and positive relationships between motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians

The two hour visit ended with a two hour bicycle ride throughout key San Francisco routes and paths guided by the department’s dedicated staff. This was undertaken during afternoon peek and was a similar experience to commuter riding in Sydney.

Summary: San Francisco transport planners have embraced cycling as a sustainable transport mode that offers real benefits to the City and its people. Similar to Sydney San Francisco is starting from a low base with little cultural history supporting cycling and faces the same challenges Sydney faces in implementing a comprehensive bike plan, coherent bicycle networks, safer infrastructure and greater understanding from all parties (including cyclists) using the cities roads. It would seem beneficial for COS to exchange senior bicycle planning staff some time after 2010 to share knowledge and experience in implementing their respective bike plans.


Dedication of Pink Triangle

Shayne addressed the ceremony along with Councillor Phillip Black

This annual ceremony takes place on Twin Peaks high above San Francisco with views to the across the City to the famous bay, bridges and out to the Pacific Ocean. On our visit it was a cold and misty morning but this did not take away from the community enthusiasm for this ceremony which is a sombre occasion reminding us of the history of oppression for GLBT community symbolised by the pink triangle that homosexuals were forced to wear in the NAZI concentration camps. Speeches were delivered by community and political leaders including the San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, Assemblyman Mark Leno, Senator Carole Migden, Supervisor Tom Ammiano, Supervisor Bevan Dufty, and Treasurer José Cisneros. German Consul General Rolf Schütte made a brief speech as did Councillor Black and myself. Councillor Black referred to the permanent pink triangle memorial we have established in Green Park whilst I spoke about our sister city relationship and my support for gay marriage reforms.

The central speaker was Arsham Parsi, who has been called the "first Iranian gay activist". “Even though the hatred that existed in Germany 70 years ago that led to the creation of the pink triangle no longer exists there, such hatred certainly exists in other places - such as Iran. According to Iranian human rights campaigners, over 4000 lesbians and gay men have been executed since the Ayatollahs seized power in 1979. "Consensual gay sex in any form is punishable by death in the Islamic Republic of Iran" (source http://www.thepinktriangle.com/ for more information and images of the day).

The ceremony was a memorable part of the visit and a sombre reminder of the leadership of the community and the continued suffering of others in the world today. It provided an appropriate contrast to the other celebrations throughout the City.

Pride Parade



The City of Sydney VIP car for parade

The highlight and focus of the Sister City exchange was to represent the City of Sydney in the annual Lesbian, Gay Bisexual and Transgender PRIDE Parade. During the visit we were often asked ‘which is better? San Francisco Pride or Sydney’s Mardi Gras?’ and with appropriate political sensitivity the answer was that they are both different and unique and in so many ways not comparable. The San Francisco parade goes through the heart of the City district in a sense traversing what would be the equivalent George Street and ending outside their City Hall in a large public square. It is a day time parade watched by hundreds of thousands and with several hundred community, government and commercial floats.

The City of Sydney Councillors were provided with a convertible and appropriate signage and we were very warmly welcomed by the crowd. It was evident that many watching the parade had a great affection for Sydney and Australia and appreciated our participation. A strong focus of the parade was celebration of the new gay marriage rights and a growing campaign to stop Proposition 8, a citizen initiated ballot to eliminate the right of same sex couples to marry. The COS float proudly carried ‘No to the Gay Marriage Ban’ signs.

Campaigning to oppose Proposition 8 ballot to ban gay marriages

The parade ended in a huge daytime festival outside City Hall with speeches by Gavin Newsom and other community and civic leaders. Finding City Hall and the large forecourt open space and parkland a great focus for the community celebrations reminded me of the potential of the planned Town Hall Square where the Woolworth’s building stands today and the opportunity for a great city square for such community festivities uniting the Town Hall with so many of the events we support.

Conclusion:
The sister city relationship with San Francisco is appropriate at so many different levels. The two cities united for 40 years share so much in common including their great waterways and iconic bridges. But most importantly they share a strong bond of tolerance, acceptance and celebration of the diversity within their communities. At so many different levels the two cities can benefit from the exchange of knowledge, experience and ideas going forward for both our great cities. I recommend examination of opportunities to sponsor exchanges of community leaders and staff in areas of Community HIV responses, Chinese New Year and the Bicycle strategy work.

I want to place on the record my appreciation of the Council in approving this visit with Councillor Phillip Black and the vital professional support of our COS staff lead by Rod Kirkman. I also acknowledge the tremendous organisational support from Mayor Newsom’s office and the San Francisco PRIDE committee.

Shayne Mallard
Councillor

Pictures available on Face Book

Full set of pictures covering the Sister City visit are posted on Shayne Mallard’s face book page for the public to view:

Public Link: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=42694&l=cb3ed&id=722086405

Announcing Sydney Liberal Action Team - offering Voters Real Choice

Council election about choice and accountability

City of Sydney Councillor Shayne Mallard today launched the Liberal Party’s team for the September Council elections.

Shayne, as the Lord Mayoral candidate, heads the team of nine local residents and business owners. In introducing the team on the campaign’s new website (www.SydneyLiberals.org.au), Shayne pointed to their experience, “We have a dynamic and energetic group of people standing for Council. We have a balance of age and experience representing the diversity of the residents of the City of Sydney.”

Shayne asked the community to consider carefully the unsustainable financial direction of the current Lord Mayor and her administration.

“Clover Moore’s big spending Council has endorsed the Sydney2030 strategy, estimated to cost $20 billion, without a single business case or financial report presented to the public.”

“Clover Moore’s Council is burning through $180,000 a day more than it gets in ratepayer revenue*.”

“Think of this as the Council indulging in a new, top of the range Mercedes every day for the next four years.”

To underline the point of how excessive the cash deficit is, Shayne launched his team on William Street, famous for its expensive sports cars as a dramatic visual reminder of the extravagance of this big spending Lord Mayor and her ‘Independent Party’.

“With growing economic uncertainty, Sydney can no longer afford this big spending Lord Mayor and her unquestioning Councillors.”

“The City Council should budget to live within its means, just like the rest of us.”

“My Liberal Action Team offers a real choice for voters. We will give the Council accountability and balance on what could be the most financially undisciplined Council in the history of Sydney."

"The real choice is between our middle ground, mainstream team or a cluster of hard line, big spending, left wing politicians,” he concluded.

The Liberal Action Team will be announcing policies in three key areas over the coming weeks focused on restoring pride and business confidence, building safer neighbourhoods and fixing parking and traffic problems.

* Source: City of Sydney Corporate Plan 2009-2012

CANDIDATES’ BACKGROUND
Details and pictures are available at the website: www.SydneyLiberals.org.au

Shayne Mallard – has been a councillor for eight years, first serving on the former South Sydney Council and then the City of Sydney from 2004. Shayne’s career in local government has focused on responsible financial management of ratepayers’ money and supporting business growth and local employment. Shayne is actively involved in supporting community organisations, including the NSW Council for Civil Liberties and the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Business Association. Shayne’s profession is as a corporate marketing and communications consultant operating a small business in East Sydney. Previous to this Shayne has worked in media, advertising and government roles. Shayne also took a break from the white collar world and opened a successful nursery and garden design business in East Sydney in partnership with his brother. He continues to have a passion for gardening and horticulture, which has been valuable in his leadership on the future of Hyde Park, other parklands and the expansion of the city’s street trees. Shayne was born and raised in outer western Sydney. He completed a degree in political science and Australian history at Macquarie University. Shayne moved to the inner eastern suburbs in the early 1990s and today he lives with his partner in Potts Point.

Edward Mandla – held leadership roles in Australian and multinational technology organisations. Edward runs his own executive search business. He spent four years as National President and Immediate Past President of the Australian Computer Society. In 2007, Edward was the Liberal candidate for the State Seat of Sydney. Edward has three children and two city dogs that come to work each day and enjoy being out on the campaign trail.


Rebecca Lau – has lived in the City of Sydney for more than 10 years. She graduated from the University of New South Wales with a Bachelor of Commerce degree. Rebecca has a background in marketing and has worked for several years in the publishing industry both in Australia and in the UK. She is now the Director of a fashion company based in Sydney and is regularly interviewed in magazines and on TV. She is passionate about living in a city that is recognised as one of the best in the world.

Georgina Anderson – after completing an economics degree at the University of Sydney and working with BHP, Georgina went to New York to study acting. Upon her return Georgina trod the boards in Sydney and established her own business in the city as an independent mortgage broker. Georgina was the candidate for the federal seat of Sydney in the 2007 election and she is a member of the Pyrmont Ultimo Chamber of Commerce.


David Evans – is a resident of Pyrmont. David studied engineering and obtained his honours degree in engineering from the University of Surrey UK in 1970. He worked as a designer and project manager. David has also operated a consultancy service that provides software development and analysis to blue chip companies. David has been married to Marilyn for 39 years and together have raised three children. David is currently chairperson of the owners’ corporation of a large city strata building; while Marilyn has been involved with the administration of the Pyrmont Ultimo Chamber of Commerce. Both believe strongly in developing local community associations.


Glenn Phillips – lives in Newtown and is a solicitor who specialises in corporate, commercial and intellectual property law. He is currently the general counsel and a senior manager with an Australian-based manufacturing company. Glenn has previously worked as a tax consultant and as a solicitor. He has also been an investment banker in Tokyo. Glenn is active in the community. For a number of years he was one of the organisers of the Mardi Gras Film Festival and he remains a trustee of the Stephen Cummins Film Trust. He is currently working with the organisers on arrangements for the Under the Blue Moon Festival, the annual goth festival in Newtown and Enmore.

Adrian Bartels – has ten years experience in the finance industry. For the last three years, Adrian has had his own finance broking business in Kings Cross. Adrian is involved with the Kings Cross Partnership, as treasurer. He is chairman of the Owner's Corporation. He has volunteered at the Wayside Chapel, St. Canices Church, and with the Jesuit Refugee Service. He has more recently become involved with Amnesty International. He has a Bachelor of Economics and Social Sciences (Political Economy and Government and International Relations). Adrian lives with his partner of nine years in Potts Point. Together they share a passion for human rights and social justice.

Giovanni Frischman – lives in Glebe, but was born in Cape Town, South Africa. His family immigrated to Australia in 1992. After spending two years in Adelaide, he moved to Townsville where his parents worked as paediatricians. Giovanni was a member of the Townsville Youth Council and graduated from Pimlico State High School in 2004. After graduating, he lived for a year in Chile, where he became fluent in Spanish and learned to appreciate the good fortune that Australians enjoy. He is currently completing a Bachelor of Arts (Advanced) with a major in Latin at the University of Sydney.

Jeff Koid – was born in Singapore and grew up in Sydney. He is a Financial Adviser working in the CBD who walks to work from his home in Pyrmont. He attended the University of Western Sydney where he was active on the student council. A music lover, Jeff plays both electric and acoustic guitar. He is a regular at St Bedes Church, Pyrmont where he plays guitar for the Choir. Jeff worked full time as a volunteer for World Youth Day and wants a more active voice on Council for the younger residents of Sydney.

(pictured Left to right - David Evans, Giovanni Frischman, Rebecca Lau, Edward Mandla, Shayne Mallard, Georgina Anderson, Glenn Phillips, Adrian Bartels - Note Jeff Koid not in picture)

Election Funding Reforms

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
6 August 2008


Statement on Election Funding Reform

In my 8 years as a Councillor I have always been a strong supporter of genuine election donation and funding reforms. Over the years I have argued at Council and at the Local Government & Shires Association level that the government should introduce similar reforms to the USA with donations prohibited to campaigns and political parties from all entities (corporations, partnerships, unions, associations etc) other than individuals and capped at a responsible level such as $2000 per campaign. In addition I support campaign expenditure caps (eg on direct mail and advertising expenditure) and tax deductibility for small donations to encourage and reactivate grass roots engagement in the political process.

These are genuine reforms that have been generally supported by Council and the LGSA conference. However the responsibility for introducing any reforms lies squarely at the feet of the State and Federal parliaments. The recent reforms introduced by the NSW Parliament have created last minute uncertainty and compliance headaches for all candidates, particularly the independents and smaller local based campaigns such as ours. In the longer term parliament must hold a balanced sober enquiry into proper and fair long term donations and funding reforms that create a genuine level playing field, encourage community involvement in elections and are transparent.

In the politically heated weeks before an election the Council can not act on its own to create a non compulsory system that shifts the goal posts for some candidates who agree but not all. In addition the motion moved by the Greens was legally flawed in that it sought to violate the current legal privacy donors are entitled to if they are donating less that $1000. This legal privacy can not be violated by a Council resolution.

My Liberal Campaign Reforms

In my Liberal campaign for Town Hall we have introduced our own voluntary reforms without fanfare or political grandstanding at Council. We have capped all donations for the City of Sydney campaign at $2000 and our average donation to date is a quarter of that amount. We are also experimenting with internet fundraising and encouraging a broad based community support for our campaign. Of course we are also complying with all current disclosure laws.

Our campaign is against well funded opponents. Labor’s Left wing candidate is supported by wealthy unions such as the CFMEU whilst Clover Moore’s party has abused millions of dollars in public money with self promotion, publications, events and advertising that I have called on the Department of Local Government to investigate.


Shayne Mallard
Councillor
Liberal candidate for Lord Mayor of Sydney



Sydney Morning Herald today reports - Moore votes down donations disclosure

Sydney City Council financial result ‘pea and shell’ accounting

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
3 August 2008

Liberal Candidate for Lord Mayor of Sydney and Deputy Chair of Council’s Finance Committee, Councillor Shayne Mallard, has criticised the final quarter financial reports for the Council as an example of the classic ‘pea and shell’ confidence trick.

"Where is the much promised ‘accelerated’ capital works spending for the community? Is it under this year’s shell or is it under next year’s?" Shayne said.

"For the fourth year in a row this administration has failed to deliver on its hyped and overblown capital works promises.
"Every year this administration has spectacularly failed to meet its published budget. In the last financial year, the Council was only able to spend $120.4 million of a promised $174.8 million in capital works.
"This is clear evidence that Clover Moore and her team are not able to deliver any sort of acceptable financial management or accountability for this City.
"They are clearly asking too much of the staff. This reinforces my long held view that this orgy of spending is unsustainable and should be spread evenly over a 10 year period," Shayne added.
"The Lord Mayor has attempted to front-load the spending to help her re-election bid, but she has failed miserably with many projects still on the drawing board or not near their promised completion.
Shayne also alerted the community to some sneaky changes to Council’s current budget. Buried in ‘Attachment B’ to the report is a transfer of $37 million of capital works spending to the next financial year starting in July 2009.

"Less than four weeks after the Council adopted Clover Moore’s biggest spending budget ever, the Lord Mayor and her 'Independent' Councillors are quietly sneeking major parts of projects out yet another 12 months," Shayne said.

Major projects delayed include:
Burton Street Tabernacle
Fitzroy Gardens
Foley Lane
Glebe Town Hall
Harris Street upgrade
Paddington Town Hall
Prince Alfred Park
Rushcutters Bay Park
Stanley Street upgrade

"Ratepayers should be thankful that Clover Moore fails each year to spend all their money, despite her promising to deliver in media releases and glossy newsletters (paid for by ratepayers).
"Whilst ratepayers’ money may have been protected more by luck than any management ability – Clover Moore has adopted a new budget that yet again has big spending promises and is underscored by a new, bigger, cash deficit of $295 million over the next four years.
"That’s Mercedes Clover spending the equivalent of a $180,000 top of the range Mercedes every day for four years if she gets her way and is re-elected to run the Council without any checks and balances," Shayne concluded.
RELEASE ENDS

MEDIA CONTACT
Shayne Mallard
Councillor
0439 426 274
Web: www.sydneyliberals.org.au
Link: Capital Expenditure Financial Results, City of Sydney Council Q4 2007/2008 report

Motorcycle Policy steals parking meter spaces from cars and shoppers

Liberal City of Sydney Councillor Shayne Mallard has criticised as an ill conceived election media stunt the announcement of the City's draft motorcycle strategy.

Shayne Mallard who has also just launched his team and campaign as the Liberal candidate for Lord Mayor of Sydney disagreed with the abuse of ratepayers money for a media stunt.

" When the Lord Mayor is seen on the evening news riding a motor bike through the city like the BBC's Jennifer Paterson, then you know an election is not far away," he said.

Shayne criticised the sudden urgency of the policy and lack of notice given to Councillors to consider the policy before the Lord Mayor conducted a rate payer funded press conference and media ride.

Moving from the abuse of public resources for an election stunt to the substance of the policy, Shayne took issue at it's central proposal to give free parking to motorcycles in parking meter spaces.

The policy recommends free parking for motor bikes in parking meter spaces where car driving motorists including families and the elderly have to pay up to $6 cash per hour.

"In the so called name of 'equitable parking access' this administration is proposing to allow motor bikes to park for free where anyone with a car has to shell out cash."

"This is some twisted definition of equity especially given that the city has provided 600 all day free motorbike spaces in the past four years alone."

"I'm not aware of 600 all day free parking spaces in the CBD for car drivers- even those with an electric hybrid motor," Shayne added.

Councillor Mallard criticised the Council report for failing to realistically address the additional costs in lost parking revenue and parking enforcement.

"As it stands a parking ranger walks past parking bays and will fine vehicles at expired meters. Under Clover Moore's Bangkok motorcycle solution rangers will need to patrol the same parking spaces repeatedly chalking tyres like the old days. This will require more staff resources."

Shayne pointed to a more equitable solution in San Francisco (see picture taken by Shayne two weeks ago).

"When the City recently sent me to San Francisco, I observed their progressive and equitable system for motor bike parking."

"Individually numbered parking spaces for motor bikes were allocated amongst regular vehicle parking bays with meter displays for each bay. There is no need for a paper ticket at all.

'In San Francisco motor bike parking was one dollar an hour - about 20% of that for cars,"

"Considering motor bikes have unregulated exhaust emissions in Australia and produce about 70% of the greenhouse emissions per passenger kilometre when compared to cars, allowing them to take away car spaces for free seems French romantic but unsustainable," Shayne concluded.

Shayne supports other measures in the policy including education and advocacy proposals.

RELEASE ENDS
25 July 2008

Sydney Morning Herald reports 'Park in the City for free'

Litter Art

Passersby in Copenhagen inspect the city's newest sculpture: a 3.5 metre cigarette butt on Gråbrødre Torv. The sculpture is just one of several placed around the city as reminders to residents not to litter.

"With the same problem in Sydney and my calls for fines to be increased to $500 for littering perhaps 'fag art' is another reminder for the smokers on our streets." Clr Shayne Mallard

No Taxation without Representation

No Taxation Without Representation - call for Businesses to enrol to Vote. Sydney businesses pay around $150 million a year in rates and charges to the City of Sydney Council. This represents about 50% of the annual running costs of the Council, Councillor Shayne Mallard said today at the launch of the new website: www.SydneyBusinessVotes.org.au At the 2004 council elections, only 2000 businesses and non residents who own businesses or pay rates enrolled. The City of Sydney Council estimates that potentially 20,000 business owners and lessees may be eligible to vote in the 2008 election.'"I believe the current Lord Mayor and her party's control of the Council is set on a course to run down the city's hard-earned cash reserves by the end of her next term.
" Next week Council will adopt a budget for 2008/09 that has buried in its report an underlying cash deficit of $113 Million.
" This Council administration is continuing an orgy of spending at the rate of over $2 million of our savings each week. ($2,173,000 per week).
"At the end of this Lord Mayor's planned final term the business rate payers will be forced to pick up the credit card debt for this Council's excesses. "
"The September election is therefore vital to the future prosperity of businesses large and small in Sydney. It has taken years to build up these reserves and now, the Lord Mayor is planning to spin and spend her way back into office for her farewell term. " "I have set up a simple website to help businesses through the paperwork to vote.

The ALP State government legislated to make the process difficult for business owners by wiping the non-resident roll before each election, forcing businesses to re-enrol each time.

The applications for enrolment are available on the website and we have an e-mail help facility to answer any questions you may have. There is a link to the NSW Electoral Commission page for further information. Monday, 4 August is the deadline to enrol to vote on 13 September. "

The City of Sydney Council makes decisions every day that affect the future of business in this great city. I urge all business owners and non-resident ratepayers to get on the roll today. "
Resources: Council Corporate Plan and Budget 2008/09

Lord Mayor's double park blames the Council driver

Fine with her: Clover Moore pays for chauffeur to park

The Australian - Angus Hohenboken June 10, 2008

SYDNEY'S Lord Mayor has offered to pay a parking fine on behalf of her chauffeur after he was caught parking illegally outside her house.
Footage of Clover Moore's driver double-parking outside her home over a period of several days was shown on Seven News last night.
It showed the driver leaving his locked vehicle next to cars parked at the kerb, despite the availability of parking spaces close by. Seven said neighbours reported the driver double-parked regularly.
A spokesman for the Lord Mayor said Ms Moore would discipline her driver. "The Lord Mayor has offered to pay a fine if the driver was not parked properly and has asked him to ensure it does not happen again," the spokesman said.
The City of Sydney Council used undercover rangers last year to catch and fine parents for parking illegally when dropping their children at school.
The revelations come after NSW Education Minister John Della Bosca was last month caught for speeding for the seventh time in just over a year, causing him to lose his driving licence.
City of Sydney councillor Shayne Mallard said politicians and councillors needed to set better examples on the road.
Mr Mallard said he was disappointed that Ms Moore was blaming the driver.
"They are public servants and by and large they follow instructions," he said.
"The bigger issue is the hypocrisy. The Lord Mayor's administration makes a lot of profit out of parking fines in this city; one would think they would adhere to their own rules and laws in regards to the council's own vehicles. The Lord Mayor should know the rules."

View Channel 7 story here.

Lord Mayor's driver facing fine

Profile of an inner-city Liberal

The South Sydney Herald profile -

Liberal Councillor Shayne Mallard likes staying as close as he can to the community reports Simon Nichols in the December 2007 edition of the South Sydney Herald.
“No, I don’t have any Federal Government ambitions,” Mallard tells me. “I am more interested in health, education and community service. I have always preferred the bread- and-butter issues, even though they are often considered the un-sexy areas of politics.” Sharing a coffee with him near the fountain in Kings Cross, you can tell that Mallard feels comfortable out on the street with the local residents. “I come from a small farm community, with just one church and just one school. I guess that instilled in me the notion of communities empowering each other and doing it for themselves. In those small towns you meet people and there is a real sense of cyclical responsibility; a hand up, not a hand out.”
Mallard brought that ethic to Sydney, joining the Young Liberals and becoming State President in 1993. Previous Liberal State presidents include Joe Hockey and Philip Ruddock. He was involved with the Fight Back John Hewson Campaign, worked closely with Peter Debnam and currently is a key confidante of Malcolm Fraser (Shayne adds later - this should be Malcolm Turnbull!).
“I love Sydney and I want to create a greater sense of ownership amongst the residents, similar to what happened during the Olympics. We have a real mix of people here. I want to highlight what we have and why we are so special. I would love to deck out some big buses with audiovisual equipment and get tours conducted all around Sydney. The buses would not just go to the major tourist spots but through the suburbs of Newtown and Ultimo. I am also a cycling fanatic and I have a dream to make all parking underground in the Kings Cross area and then widen the footpaths for cyclists and pedestrians.”
On his website, Mallard describes himself as a progressive Liberal. He is conservative in terms of finance and welfare but he feels he is progressive in the areas of social issues like discrimination, women, refugees and same-sex couples. He also maintains a facebook and a blog to keep up with the information super-highway – to “keep a finger on the pulse.”
So why did Mallard get involved in politics? Quite simply, “I love helping solve problems for people. That is why it motivates me as a vocation.” Mallard muses when I ask him what he doesn’t like. “The personal attacks, but unfortunately that comes with the territory.”
Source: South Sydney Herald www.southsydneyherald.com.au/

ALP Leaderless for Sydney City Council Election

Endorsed Labor candidate for Sydney Lord Mayor, Councillor Tony Pooley announced today that he would no longer lead the ALP ticket for the Council elections in September.
Councillor Pooley said that he was stepping down because of ' work issues ', but it is more likely that he does not want to spend another four years on the margins of power in a Clover Moore party dominated Council.
Liberal Councillor Shayne Mallard said that the 11th hour withdrawal of the former Labor Mayor raised several important questions;
"Did Tony see confidential Sussex Street polling that showed a landslide victory for Clover Moore at the election?
"Did Tony realise that his bid for the Lord Mayoralty was doomed from the start?" Shayne said.
"Tony must have seen that Clover Moore was going to trounce the ALP following the endless scandals and failures of Labor in Macquarie Street. Everyone knows that the ALP has that
unpleasant, decaying smell about it nowadays.
"Labor may now turn to retired upper house politician, Dr Meredith Bergman to lead an already defeated team to the polls. It seems that Labor are throwing in the towel before the first round. They have given up the fight before it has even begun.
Shayne who has been a Councillor alongside Tony Pooley for the past 8 years acknowledges the contribution that Tony has made.
"I would like to put on record my appreciation of Councillor Pooley's service to the local community on the City of Sydney Council and prior service on the South Sydney Council as mayor. Tony has been a dedicated local representative who has worked very effectively on behalf of residents. It is a shame that we will lose his experience after September.
"As leader of the Liberal team for this September's Council elections, I can assure all voters that the Liberal Party will not be throwing in the towel. We believe that Clover Moore's party must be held to public account by having a balance on the Council.
"The out-of-control spending and massive misuse of ratepayer money to promote Clover Moore's picture and words on everything the Council publishes must stop. Ratepayers deserve a City Council that represents all community views -- residents, businesses and leaseholders.
"Council needs to ensure that its basic services are its highest priority. It must ensure that the cash reserves are not eaten away by irresponsible and unaccountable spending. It must keep costs down and rates affordable.
"We offer the voters a real choice in September. And while it may be true that the ALP secret polling shows Clover Moore will be easily re-elected as Lord Mayor, we believe that voters will want balanced representation on the next council," Councillor Shayne Mallard concluded.

Daily Telegraph reports 'Clover Moore tipped to win against Meredith Bergman'

Shayne Mallard secures $50,000 donation for the Red Shield Appeal

City of Sydney Councillor Shayne Mallard has convinced the Council to support his motion and donate $50,000 to the Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal. During today's Extraordinary Council meeting called to approve the Lord Mayor's proposed $100,000 for the Chinese Earthquake victims, Councillor Mallard alerted his colleagues of the pressing needs here in our own City.

"Each night as I walk through the City I see homeless people bedding down on park benches and in doorways huddling under thin blankets trying to ward off the winter cold. Shayne told the Council.

"I agree with the donation of $100,000 to China but we must not lose sight of the dire needs here at home as well.

"It's a disgrace that a city as wealthy as Sydney leaves vulnerable people such as the young, homeless and abused to live off the streets.

"No one should have to beg and no one should be living on the streets in this City and we need to be doing much more about it.

Councillor Mallard alerted the Council to the problems of donation fatigue and the donation vacuum that follows big appeals such as the Chinese earthquake and recent Tsunami appeals.

"The Salvo's reported raising $50,000 from the City of Sydney residents in the Red Shield Appeal yesterday. The City's donation now matches the generosity of our residents and businesses dollar for dollar.

"What better way to say thank you to the generous people including the many thousands of volunteers out there collecting for the Salvos.

"I am sure the people of Sydney support the work of the Salvation Army. The Salvos target for 2008 is to raise $68 million nationally. It is a big number and it just goes to show the extent of the work that the Salvation Army does to help the most disadvantaged in our community."

Councillor Mallard's successful Amendment reads:
(iv) that in recognition of the important work done by the Salvation Army in the City of Sydney and to support and add value to our residents, ratepayers and visitors the City of Sydney match dollar for dollar to a maximum of $50,000 for the Red Shield appeal.

Mallard to call for $50,000 donation to Salvation Army for Red Shield Appeal

"Thank God for the Salvos. We must never lose sight that every night, without fanfare, organisations like the Salvation Army find shelter and sustenance for Sydney's growing number of homeless men and women," Councillor Shayne Mallard said today.

"As winter approaches and nights become colder, it is a stark reminder of how hard life has become for those without a home. The Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal this weekend aims to raise money to help Sydney's homeless and I would encourage everyone to give generously to this very worthy cause.

"People in Sydney ask me, almost on a daily basis, why there are so many homeless people sleeping in doorways and on park benches every night when we are such a wealthy city. There is of course no simple answer, but there is no doubt that we need to do more to tackle the problem of homelessness in our city.

Councillor Mallard announced today that at the extraordinary meeting of Council on Monday, which has been called by the Lord Mayor to approve her suggested $100,000 donation to the Chinese earthquake appeal, he will be calling on Council to also support a donation of up to $50,000 to the Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal.

"I will asking the Council to match dollar for dollar the generosity of our residents, small businesses and ratepayers up to maximum of $50,000.

"Whilst I support the $100,000 donation to the Chinese earthquake appeal I fear that international pleas for help distract us from the very real needs in our own backyard. That is why I want Council to back the generosity of our residents by matching their donations to the Red Shield Appeal to help the needy of Sydney.

"The Salvation Army does a fantastic job on the ground in the City of Sydney on behalf of the residents and ratepayers and I think we ought to recognize their work with a substantial donation. Many people would have seen the ABC TV documentary, The Oasis, that gave us an insight into the daily struggle that confronts people at the margins of society and the compassionate but practical way the Salvos meet these immense challenges.

"I am sure the people of Sydney will support a substantial contribution to the Salvation Army. The Salvos target for 2008 is to raise $68 million nationally. It is a big number and it just goes to show the extent of the work that the Salvation Army does to help the most disadvantaged in our community."

Support the Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal here.

Listen to the 2GB interview on Redfern Park children's playground 'We murdered the people.." artwork.

Listen to the interview here ...

Keating quote in Children's playground - political Correctness gone mad

MEDIA RELEASE

Keating quote in Children's playground - political Correctness gone mad

City of Sydney Councillor Shayne Mallard has spoken out publicly against the decision of the City Council to incorporate a quote by former Prime Minister Paul Keating in a new children's playground.

The extract taken from Paul Keating's 1992 Redfern Park speech prominently includes the following lines;

"We took the traditional lands and smashed the traditional way of life.

We brought the diseases. The alcohol.

We committed the murders.

We took the children from their mothers.

We practised discrimination and exclusion."

Shayne Mallard said that the inclusion of the extract was out of context and would not advance reconciliation in the Redfern area.

"Keating's quote belongs in the history books and not in a children's playground," he said.

"Any parent coming to this playground whether white or Aboriginal will feel anger and shame when confronted by this message,"

"If or when children understand the words they will be frightened by the violent language and images."

"What happened to the age of innocence for our children?"

Shayne said that his concerns are not about the former Prime Minister's speech but the out of context extract and its suitability for a children's playground.

"The speech has a place in history and even elsewhere in Redfern Park,"

"This is the political correctness we have come to expect from this big spending, big brother, left wing controlled Council," Shayne added.

The work by artist Fiona Foley incorporates the extract of the speech as engraved paving as well as a cross shaped water feature and over sized steel lotus flowers and is part of the $30 million Redfern Park upgrade. When finished later this year the park will return as the spiritual home of the South Sydney Rabbitohs as their new training grounds.

RELEASE ENDS
7 May 2008

Channel 7 News reports here 'Quote too controversial for park.'

The Australian reports:

Liberal lashes nod to Keating

Ashleigh Wilson May 08, 2008

A SYDNEY councillor has criticised a playground sculpture for featuring an extract from Paul Keating's Redfern speech, claiming the words were a "real guilt trip" to non-indigenous Australians who had already apologised to the Stolen Generations.
Shayne Mallard, a Liberal member of the Sydney City Council, last night said the former prime minister's message was inappropriate for a children's playground.
"This is political correctness going mad when you put this in the playground," Mr Mallard said.
"What happened to the age of innocence?"
But Mr Mallard was ridiculed last night by Mr Keating's former speechwriter Don Watson, who said: "The truth never hurt anybody - including children.
"And for that matter, I don't remember children being damaged by inscriptions on public memorials."
The sculpture, by indigenous artist Fiona Foley, includes several lines from Mr Keating's acclaimed speech in the Sydney suburb of Redfern in 1992.
In the speech, he referred to the past injustice towards Aborigines in Australia, saying non-indigenous people had to recognise it was "we who did the dispossessing".
The sculpture, expected to be finished this year as part of the council's upgrade of Redfern Park, features some of Mr Keating's words: "We took the traditional lands and smashed the traditional way of life."
"We brought the diseases, the alcohol," the inscription continues. "We committed the murders. We took the children from their mothers."
Mr Mallard said the council approved the sculpture last week. He claimed he was not attacking Mr Keating's "great" speech, but said the council should find a way to commemorate the words in a different location.
"I don't see how young indigenous Australians going there will have a positive disposition towards white Australians," he said.
"We all commemorated and said sorry earlier this year, but this means everyone who goes there to play must say sorry every time because it's a real guilt trip.
"Every time an Aboriginal person or a white Australian goes there, they're going to be reminded of this. It's out of context ... I don't see this as part of the process of moving forward."
Mr Keating could not be contacted for comment last night.

Pooley's faustian deal with the ALP Right's money men

In the midst of all the electricity privatisation blood letting and bad manners at the ALP's State Conference there was some political knife wielding in the City of Sydney's corner as current ALP Councilor Tony Pooley convincingly dispatched Labor's left wing Lord Mayoral aspirant and former MP Dr Meredith Burgmann.

In today's SMH a victorious Pooley proclaims he will not take donations from developers or the hotel industry... but by gaining the support of the discredited Right wing Sussex Street machine to defeat the ALP Left, Pooley has already made his faustian deal with the money men and unions of Sussex Street that the Right will no doubt call in.

When is the Clover Moore party preselection?

As Tony Pooley (ALP), Chris Harris (Greens) and I traverse our respective public party processes for preselection and endorsement to run as Lord Mayoral candidates - observers wonder what preselection processes the Clover Moore Party (yes it is now a registered political party and brand name) is undertaking. In Council last year the Lord Mayor promised to provide a copy of her new political party's constitution (as required by the Act) but we are still waiting. Word has it that all Moore Councillors have been re-endorsed to run again under the Moore Party banner. eCouncillor must have missed the Moore party advertisements, missed the party conference and missed the rank and file ballots around the Moore household kitchen table.


Deputy mayor fends off rival for top job

Jano Gibson and Sunanda Creagh May 6, 2008

THE field of hopefuls for Sydney's top job has narrowed after one of the most prominent contenders, Meredith Burgmann, failed to win Labor Party support for her run at the lord mayorship.
Labor's difficult task of toppling the Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, in September's local government elections has instead been given to the Deputy Lord Mayor, Tony Pooley.
Cr Pooley, a former mayor of South Sydney, defeated the former NSW Upper House president in a vote at last weekend's ALP state conference.
Dr Burgmann, from Labor's Left faction, said she had expected to lose after Cr Pooley, who does not belong to either faction, received endorsement from the Right several weeks ago.
She said she stayed in the race to highlight her concerns about Cr Moore being the Lord Mayor and the Member for Sydney at the same time. "I wanted to make a point about Clover's arrogance about thinking Lord Mayor of Sydney was a part-time job."
Defeating Cr Moore would be a "tough battle", said Dr Burgmann, who is now considering running as a candidate for Labor councillor.
"Clover has the advantage of incumbency and the huge multimedia machine that cranks out material with her face on it once a week," she said. "[And] at the moment the State Government is pretty unpopular and that will count against us too."
Cr Pooley said he was pleased with the result.
"It was a hard slog; it's a lot of delegates to contact. I went across the board and spoke to every major union secretary from across both factions. I contacted everyone I could, regardless of whether they were Left or Right.
"Of course, 333 of them did support Meredith but I think [I won support because] I have had eight years of involvement in local government."
He promised not to take donations from developers or the hotel industry to fund his bid. "However, I do have two friends who manage pubs who I will be inviting to a fund-raiser as friends," he said. He refused to name the pubs.
He said he would have preferred the preselection to have been made through a ballot of rank-and-file branches, but suggested the outcome would be the same regardless.
Councillors Chris Harris (Greens) and Shayne Mallard (Liberal) have said they are also keen to run for the top job.

Affordable Housing keeps Sydney competitive but at what cost?

City of Sydney Councillor Shayne Mallard has spoken out in support of the proposal to create up to 700 new dwellings as part of the City's affordable housing commitment but has questioned the secrecy in the planning and raised concerns about the high concentrations of affordable housing in the inner west.

" Today's announcement will help provide much needed housing for lower wage earners in the inner city and help keep Sydney competitive with the diverse labour force needed to be globally competitive", Shayne said.

"The addition of another large development of affordable housing in Glebe adds to the high concentrations of existing affordable housing and large estates of public housing in the area where police and other government agencies struggle to maintain order and deliver effective services."

"Concentrating more affordable and social housing in the inner west will only increase community concerns about creating ghettos of social and economic disadvantage."

"Council is currently asking the Department of Housing to provide private security guards to patrol the housing estates in Glebe. How does that sit with this announcement?"

"Why not consider breaking up the concentrations with opportunities in the Greensquare, Broadway brewery site and newer developing areas? This could involve innovative development solutions such as land swaps and rezoning bonuses for affordable housing provision in new developments?"

Shayne is also opposed to Council being the affordable housing landlord.
"Council must not take on the huge responsibility of becoming the affordable housing landlord. Most councils have failed to deliver equity and transparency in this area in the past with issues of nepotism and favours for mates under previous cheap rent deals."

Councillor Mallard also questioned the financial secrecy and lack of accountability surrounding today's announcement.
"Increasingly the City of Sydney has reverted to the dark management arts of Frank Sartor's day."

"Councillors were in a full day of briefings yesterday including a budget session and yet nothing was mentioned about this announcement and Councillors were not consulted."

"Keeping secret from elected Councillors a $260 M project including the provision of $30 M worth of ratepayer's land is not a good demonstration of open and accountable government,"

"Informing elected Councillors by media release smacks of election spin ahead of meaningful engagement with an elected representative body." Shayne concluded.

Council's announcement today here: http://www.sydneymedia.com.au/html/3596-new-partnership-to-boost-affordable-housing.asp