Unlikely ally too late in fight against Ashmore overdevelopment

The fight against the overdevelopment of the Ashmore Estate in Erskineville has found a new ally in the most unlikely of places with local state Labor MP and former Premier Kristina Keneally recently speaking out against the development in parliament. 

Strata law reform long overdue – finally a chance for change?

Not every Australian dreams of living on a quarter acre block with a red tiled roof and a white picket fence.  Here in the City of Sydney and many places beyond more and more people are chosing to live in the thick of it, in apartments in higher density suburbs close to jobs, transport and all the conveniences of a modern city.

Sadly strata law, the set of rules that govern what people can do with their apartments and how apartment blocks are administered, has not kept up with the times. 

Kent Street cycleway and St Andrews college

The City of Sydney is becoming a national leader in the provision of safe separated cycleways and I am proud of the part I have played in this.  It is therefore most disappointing that media reports in the last week have created the false impression that I am trying to stop a cycleway going ahead. However given that it is Newscorp’s stated purpose to “destroy the Greens”, readers should filter stories in its publications and online in the light of that stated objective.

Council and the carbon tax

 A motion I tried to introduce to Council on the 25th July generated a flurry of controversy in the media and in conservative political circles. 

The motion was for the City of Sydney to refrain from purchasing goods and services from companies that fund anti-carbon tax advertising. 

Slash and burn approach to City “rejuvenation”

A little over a year ago, I published a good news story on my website about how community action had saved a much loved garden from being destroyed in the name of development.  At the time I pointed out that it was a rare example of the community winning out in a dispute with developers but it seems I spoke too soon.

Beyond zero emissions

The very real threat that climate change poses to our economy, our lifestyle and our planet as a whole becomes more apparent every day.  In the last few years Australia has, in quick succession, been ravished by fires, floods and cyclones of an intensity that used to occur only once in a  generation, just as climate scientists have been predicting for decades.

It is clear that, to avoid a future where such disasters are far more commonplace we need to start drastically reducing our greenhouse gas emissions now.

Benefits of car sharing

Car sharing programs within the City of Sydney have been highly popular since the first operators started, with Council support, in 2007.  Recently I received an email from a Sydney resident who was one of many who found car sharing to be a convenient and sustainable lifestyle choice.  She is moving to Tasmania, where no car sharing programs currently operate, and she asked me to write to the Greens Minister for Sustainable Transport Nick McKim to encourage him to look into the adoption of car share in Tasmania.

Below is some information on car sharing that I sent to Nick McKim. I touched on the history of car sharing in the City of Sydney and highlighted the benefits it could have for communities in Tasmania and elsewhere.

Laneway grants review a welcome opportunity to end corporate welfare

Council last week made the sensible decision to suspend the giving of grants under the laneways revitalisation scheme, pending a full review of the program.  While the idea of enlivening disused laneways is a good one the current program, which focuses almost exclusively on financially propping up small bars, has been a complete waste of ratepayers money.

Sustainable Barangaroo nothing but spin

The Barangaroo Delivery Authority (BDA) is continuing with its practice of public deception, this time with its claims of environmental sustainability for the project.

A new era in solar thermal power

Opponents of renewable energy love to trot out the tired old line that it can’t provide baseload power. This statement has been incorrect for many years and as technology continues to develop (despite the pathetic investment made in this area by both state and Federal governments) the ability of renewables to meet all our power needs continues to grow.