Walk Against Warming

Join The Greens in the Walk Against Warming

The Walk Against Warming on Saturday 12th December coincides with the 2009 Copenhagen Climate Summit.  
It’s D-day for us to show our politicians and world leaders we want global action on climate change!

Join the Marrickville Greens in the Walk Against Warming – we’re travelling together to the walk from Marrickville Station.  Meet us there at 12pm to make our way together to the rally (starts at Martin Place at 1pm).  Bring your family and friends, wear sky blue laces or something else blue.

You can find out more about the walk, and other Walk locations outside Sydney at http://www.walkagainstwarming.org/

Marrickville Greens Councillors arrested at climate blockade

Marrickville Council’s Green Deputy Mayor, Fiona Byrne and Greens
Councillors Max Phillips and Cathy Peters were arrested at Parliament
House on Monday Nov 23 as they joined over 200 protestors demanding stronger action from the government on climate change.

Climate activists block the front entrance to Parliament House

The three Greens Councillors were arrested after a mass sit-in in front of the entrance to Parliament House in Canberra along with 130 other
people, but released without charge.  They were  seeking meaningful
emission reduction targets of 40% by 2020 and binding agreements in   Copenhagen.

Councillor Bynre  stated, “When I read the latest research which suggests the Arctic icecap  could be completely melted during summer by as soon as 2013, I  realized that before my children even finish school, the planet could
be irreversibly changed. We must have real action now and that’s why I
had to be prepared to be arrested during this peaceful protest”.

“The fact that 130 people from diverse backgrounds were prepared to be arrested reflects the strength of feeling in the community and I wanted to show the politicians in Canberra that ordinary people are prepared to take action to  demand realistic reductions in greenhouse gas pollution so that our community and communities around the world can have a safe future,” commented Greens Councillor Cathy Peters

Councillor Max Phillips at the blockade.

Clr Cathy Peters arrested at Parliament House 23.11.09

 

“Action on climate is so important that sometimes we have to leave our comfort zones and put our bodies on the line. The government’s 5% target and deeply flawed emissions trading scheme is betrayingthe climate and our collective future,” said Greens Councilor Max Phillips.”We have a small window to stop catastrophic climate change, so it is now or never and that’s why I felt so strongly that I was willing to be participating in peaceful civil disobedience.”

Protestors blocking Parliament House entrance 23.11.09

EVENT: Public Meeting on Lewisham Master Plan – 19 November

The No Lewisham Towers residents action group has called a public meeting to discuss Marrickville Council’s master plan for the McGill Street precinct.  This master plan effectively provides an alternative vision for the area to the fourteen storey towers and supermarket mall that has been proposed by developer, Demian Constructions.

Time: 8pm, Thursday 19 November 2009

Venue: Summer Hill Community Centre, 131 Smith Street Summer Hill

What: see the master plan and express your opinion.

nolewishamtowers.org for more information.

 

The Greens position on the Marrickville RSL development

The Greens believe that the proposal for 128 apartments and a large supermarket on the Marrickville RSL site is too big and will cause traffic issues, a loss of amenity for local residents, and hurt the Marrickville shopping strip.

Unfortunately, the pro-developer state Labor government has stripped local council of the power to assess developments over $10 million , and handed the power to an unelected panel of whom 3 of the 5 members are appointed by the Minister for Planning.

The Greens made a submission on the proposed RSL development and will seek to speak at the panel hearing.

The Greens are holding a public meeting for the local community to discuss the proposal, as well as the draft Local Environment Plan that will allow substantial increases in development heights and densities throughout the Marrickville shopping strip, as well as other shopping strips in Dulwich Hill, Petersham and Lewisham.

Read The Greens

Public Meeting on the RSL development

• 7pm, Wednesday 23 September 2009
• Herbert Greedy Hall, 79 Petersham Rd, Marrickville.

View Larger Map

Marrickville’s draft planning documents allow big increases in building heights and densities, especially in our shopping strips.

The Greens vision for the Marrickville Local Government Area comes from our existing urban design.  The “Newtown Model” has been chosen as a way of delivering higher residential density, were appropriate. This includes terrace style development and retention of period buildings, while not ignoring opportunities for Multi-Unit-Developments where they exist.

Which density is best for the Marrickville area?

We want to encourage warehouse conversions rather than warehouse demolition in Petersham. We don’t want to create new shopping malls in Lewisham and Marrickville. The Greens want to encourage the adaptive reuse of existing period buildings and remove incentives for demolition of 2 storey period buildings. We support ancillary dwellings particularly in our urban centres

The Greens have considerable concerns that Council’s proposed new planning policies will lead to overdevelopment, congestion and loss of heritage, especially in our commercial strips. Various demands made by the state government have significantly changed council’s original vision as outlined in its 2007 Urban Strategy. In particular the state government has insisted that certain strategically located industrially zoned lands should not be rezoned residential.

Paralleling this has been the government’s requirement that council achieves a number of new residences at a level more than those envisaged in the Marrickville Urban Strategy. The effect has been to bloat the expectation of residential and commercial growth in Marrickville’s Urban Centres.

The future for Marrickville?

Behind the processes leading to Marrickville’s new planning policies, changes to state planning laws have been implemented to further distort Marrickville’s policies and further diminish council’s original vision. The introduction of Part3A, Joint Regional Planning Panels, and the Complying Housing SEPP, changes to the way Floor Space Ratios are calculated and most recently the Affordable Housing SEPP all serve to reduce and override council, it’s planning policies and it’s Urban Strategy.

Council has been required to reduce its Heritage Conservation Areas (HCA) by half. This will make larger tracts of heritagable properties vulnerable to demolition. Further it will create a great disparity in the treatment of properties with the Marrickville LGA. It is highly likely that applicants one side of the street in a HCA will be significantly restricted in their development potential while those on the other side of the road not in a HCA will be able to demolish their house. And this could be so if the houses were identical.

The community need to be aware that the development guidelines for Marrickville over the next 20 years are being decided, now. We can follow the examples set by Hurstville, Rockdale, Chatswood or Bondi Junction or we can look to what we already do and seek to repeat it.

Conducting Climate Conversations -ultimately we must build concern and engagement in climate change as an issue one by one.  Pledge to hold Climate Conversaions and we will send you all the necessary instructions and materials to get started.

Green streets event – talk by Michael Mobbs

The Chippendale Project

Petersham Newtown Greens are hosting the first in a series of regular presentations at the start of our monthly meetings next Thursday evening.

Our first speaker is the guru of inner city sustainablilty – Michael Mobbs. Michael established his sustainable terrace in Chippendale in 1996. His terrace is almost entirely self sufficient; he buys no water or sewage service and he sells electricity generated by him at his house. He has shown how city living can be completely clean, green and sustainable.

He will be outlining his innovative Chippendale Project – a working realisation of how our streets can be transformed to hugely reduce green house effects and energy usage by creating 21st century road gardens.

The project is eighteen months old and the results are excellent. So join us to hear how it’s done on Thursday night this week.

Venue: Newtown Neighbourhood Centre, King St opposite Newtown station.

Date: Thursday Sept 10

Time: 8 – 8.45pm

Background :

Michael Mobbs has held an interest in sustainable design for over 20 years, advising about technology, design, environmental law and policy to government, the private sector and community groups. He is an Associate lecturer in the School of Engineering at the University of Technology

Mackey Park Figs Saved?

Organisers of Friday’s fig tree party are happy to report that Labor Councillors say they will reverse their previous decision to chop down the two Hills Figs at Mackey Park. With the certain support of Marrickville’s Greens Councillors, who opposed the removal of the figs from the outset, the organisers are hopeful the figs will now be saved.

Friday's Party Under The Trees

Well over 200 adults, children and dogs attended the party on a sparkling afternoon, with book readings, environmental theatre and kids’ art based around the trees. The figs were dressed up in saffron robes and streamers for the occasion.

Jacqueline Yetzotis from Saving Our Trees says, “It is wonderful these magnificent trees will be saved and that Labor has reversed its original decision to destroy them. But it is disappointing that the community had to fight so hard to stop their destruction in the first place.”

Young and Old enjoying the party under the trees

Christine Hay representing COMPOST – Citizens of Marrickville Protecting Our Street Trees – said, “Marrickville needs a significant tree register which many other councils have. It’s time the council finished the job of reviewing its tree policy so this kind of thing never happens again.”

Save the Mackey Park Fig Trees Party

Jacqueline Yetzotis of SavingOurTrees has organised a picnic and party as part of efforts to lobby Labor and Independent Councillors to save the two beautiful 15 metre high Fig trees in Mackey Park.

Please come to the picnic if you can, and find out why so many people are campaigning to save these beautiful trees.

As well as a great day out, this is your chance to help get a better result for Mackey Park and for everyone who uses it. We are campaigning to keep the two Fig trees, and also retain a pedestrian pathway through the park (to Tempe Station) and keep the park lit at night.

When: Friday 28 August 2009 @ 3.30 – 5pm
Where: Under the Fig Trees, Mackey Park, Carrington Road, Marrickville South.

Fun activities to celebrate the trees!
Art: tree drawing and leaf rubbings
Story time: tree book readings
Theatre: physical theatre by Leapfish
Talks: about the trees and their birdlife – Wolli Creek Preservation Society

Bring:
A blanket to sit on
Something to eat and drink.

Event: Protest at Enmore School Auction Tuesday 7 July

Alan Croker of Save Our School (Enmore school) has asked supporters to come to the auction of Enmore School and protest outside.

The state government plans to sell Enmore school, a public asset, to a developer to build apartments. See this page for more information.

The auction is this coming Tuesday 7th July and we plan to picket the area immediately in front of the entry to the building.
The details are as follows:
Venue: Cushman and Wakefield, 55 Harrington St., Sydney (in the same building as Tourism NSW, just up Harrington St from Argyle St in The Rocks)
Auction scheduled for 10.30am (presumably in Raine & Horne’s auction room on the 1st floor).
Suggest arriving at 10am or earlier if you think this would be a good idea.
Please bring posters and placards
We are organising a 1 page pamphlet to hand to people as they go in for the auction.

It is important that we do not obstruct people entering the building or cause anyone to get stressed.

Map to venue:

View Larger Map

EVENT: Rally outside Albo’s office for nuclear free sacred country

The Sydney Nuclear Free Coalition are holding a rally outside Anthony Albanese’s office to protest the Labor Party’s policy of supporting a nuclear dump in the Northern Territory and the continuation (and expansion!) of uranium mining in Australia.

WHEN: 8am Wednesday 15 July

WHERE: Outside Albanese’s office 334 Marrickville Road Marrickville.

Click here to see the poster (PDF)

View Larger Map

For more info contact Liv on 0401 955 405

GREENS FUNDRAISER “One Word… WE!” The Songs & Story of Pete Seeger

With Maurie Mulheron, Jeannie Lewis, Jim Conway, Liz Frencham and more

8pm, Saturday 13th June
Tom Mann Theatre, 136 Chalmers St, Surry Hills (near Central Staion)

$30 and $25 concession ($40 keen greens)
Proceeds to The Greens NSW

This is a special return season as part of the celebration of Pete Seeger’s 90th birthday in May 2009. The Greens have a bulk ticket purchase for Saturday night, 13th June 2009.  Please BOOK NOW with the Greens Office if you want to come! Phone 02 9519 0877

Pete Seeger wrote many of the anthems of political protest including ‘Where Have All the Flowers Gone‘, ‘If I Had a Hammer‘ and ‘Turn! Turn! Turn!‘. With others he wrote songs such as ‘We Shall Overcome’, ‘Wimoweh’, ‘Guantanamera’ while Seeger also recorded and spread the music of Leadbelly and Woody Guthrie. Seeger’s songs have been recorded by many artists including Jackson Browne, Bruce Springsteen, Peter, Paul and Mary, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Aretha Franklin, and many, many more.

Once the most boycotted, banned and picketed singer in US history, the 90 year old Seeger continues to sing out for peace, justice and the environment. One Word…WE! celebrates his life, time, friends and music from 1949 to the present. So come on! Join the One Word…WE! cast of actors singers and musicians in a celebration of the battles,
the victories, the emotions and the stories that record the achievements of the collective ‘WE’ during the twentieth century.