Labor-Liberal Alliance Opens the Door for Higher Building and High Rise Apartments

The Liberal Councillor Rosana Tyler and Labor councillors on Marrickville council appear to support taller buildings in residential areas, including high rise apartments the Greens have claimed today.

At last week’s Council meeting Liberal Councillor Rosana Tyler and the Labor Party combined to vote to increase height restrictions on buildings across the entire Marrickville local government area.

“This change now means developers can whack on an extra floor on every development across our community” said Greens Councillor David Leary.

Recent development applications to Council had challenged the existing controls of roof top structures which were part of council’s controls relating to building heights. The Land and Environment Court had also recently suggested that these restrictions may be vulnerable to challenge.

“Council staff put forward some sensible amendments to planning controls that would have confirmed existing building heights, removed uncertainty and the possibly of developers challenging these reasonable restrictions” Clr Leary said.

“Instead of supporting the advice from staff to maintain the status quo and restrict building heights to current levels, the Liberals and Labor supported amendments that will allow an extra storey on every building” said Clr Leary.

In related changes to local planning controls Councillor Tyler and all Labor Councillors also voted in favour of removing all height restrictions on several sites across Marrickville.

“As a Councillor for South Ward-Magura I am especially concerned to see that high rise apartment buildings may now be possible on the Princes Highway at St Peters following these changes endorsed by the new Liberal-Labor alliance which controls Marrickville Council” noted Clr Leary.

Changes to the Local Environmental Plan approved by council removed height controls on sites at Nos 31, 41-45 and 129 Princes Highway St Peters and 221-235 & 244 Stanmore Road, Stanmore. Building heights on these sites are now unrestricted.

All Greens councillors voted against these changes.

Media contact: Clr David Leary 0409 421 323

Marrickville Council goes weak on motorway under under Labor-Liberal Alliance

The Greens on Marrickville Council have today criticised Mayor of Marrickville Victor Macri and the Labor-Liberal alliance for going weak on opposition to the proposed WestConnex motorway and tunnel through Marrickville.

A heated debate at Marrickville Council last night rejected a motion brought by the Greens to oppose the motorway and hold a public meeting, instead voting to form a taskforce to gather information.

“In the past, Councillors from all political persuasions have campaigned strongly against plans to build major new motorways through the heart of our communities,” said Greens Councillor David Leary, who moved the motion at last night’s meeting.

“It’s disappointing that under the new Labor-Liberal alliance controlling Marrickville Council, Council has weakened its stance with the majority voting against opposition to the motorway and for a wishy-washy response.

“The Greens will stand strongly against the motorway proposal which will slice through the Tempe playing fields and wetlands, dump thousands of cars in the Inner West, create  multiple exhaust stacks spewing poisonous car fumes into our neighbourhoods and take funds away from public transport.

“It’s important for Council to stand up for local residents right from the beginning, rather than wait for official consultation to start when it will be too late to change course.

“The Labor Party and the Mayor were given a clear opportunity to show their opposition to the motorway last night and support growing community calls to can it, but chose not to. You have to wonder why?” said Councillor Leary.

“In a fine display of ‘Yes Minister’ style politics, Mayor Macri and the Labor party voted instead to call on the State government to establish yet another “Taskforce” of senior Bureaucrats to consult with the community before the motorway is built.

The proposed WestConnex motorway project involves the construction of a motorway tunnel, slot and surface road under the Marrickville Local Government Area via Camperdown to St Peters and a surface motorway from St Peters through Tempe connecting to Sydney Airport. This motorway and tunnel system will link up with similar development along Parramatta road and the duplication of the M5 East.

Media contact: Clr David Leary 0409 421 323

10 Reasons to Vote 1 The Greens on 8 September in Marrickville

1. The Greens go beyond the basics

The Greens understand that people expect more from local government than rates, roads and rubbish. Good local councils are key local employers who provide important services like child care facilities, major community infrastructure, open spaces and sporting fields.

2. A vibrant and inclusive community

The Greens know that council has a vital role to play in fostering a vibrant and inclusive community. That’s why we are proposing community infrastructure like a community hub and library; new services like free-wifi; and new events, like ‘made in Marrickville’ and night noodle markets. It’s all part of our positive vision for Marrickville.

3. Keep out the right-wing independents and the Liberal party

The ongoing success of the Greens in our progressive local community is seeing an unprecedented push by the Liberal Party and right wing nationalists like Sergio Redegalli run against the Greens. We’re a progressive community, so it’s important people know who they are voting for.

4. A positive vision, not a scare campaign

We have proposed a positive vision of new infrastructure, services and events. Instead of engaging in a debate on the issues, other candidates have run an Abbott-style scare campaign. Leaflets claiming the Greens support an $800 rate rise are just plain wrong. What’s worse, those running the scare campaign know it. We have ruled out a 6.72% rate rise – which would only have been $50 a year.

5. The Greens deliver key public infrastructure

It was Greens leadership and vision on Marrickville Council which has delivered the success story that is the Annette Kellerman Aquatic Centre. With the pool now turning a profit, we can invest in more top notch community infrastructure, like a much needed new Marrickville Library.

6. No Coal Seam Gas in St Peters

Only the Greens have opposed CSG from the start. We have worked with the community to highlight the issue and put pressure on Labor and Coalition state governments to say no to CSG in St Peters. We are the only ones on Council to back the community campaign for a poll on CSG.

7. The Greens stand up for our principles, not just what’s easy

Whether it’s protecting the environment, introducing universal dental care, opposing the war in Iraq or advocating for refugees to be treated humanely, the Greens are driven by values, not polls.

8. The Greens get results

The Greens have had continuous representation on Marrickville Council for over twenty years. In that time we’ve been instrumental in providing key services to the local community. The Australian Greens have just secured crucial public funding for dental care, and in Marrickville we’ve delivered more bike paths, increased funding to child care services and upgrades to sports grounds.

9. Greens are for community, not corporate profits

The old parties have deep pockets from corporate donations, and were funded by the big alcohol, big tobacco and property developers before Greens-led campaigns stopped them. The Greens for Marrickville Council campaign has been built entirely on grassroots activism and initiative. We counter corporate funding with people power.

10. The Greens are about policy not politics

This election has highlighted that the Greens stand for policies based on sustainability, service delivery and making Marrickville liveable and affordable. We have made several policy announcements over the course of this campaign. We offer a vision, not a scare campaign.

Council Election a Referendum on Coal Seam Gas

Greens candidate for Marrickville Council South Ward-Magura, Dr David Leary has called on voters to make the council election on 8^th September a referendum on Coal Seam Gas.

“Coal seam gas mining is just plain dumb- and proposals to mine in residential areas like Dart Energy’s proposal to mine in St Peters is simply dumber than dumb” said Dr Leary.

At a recent Marrickville Council meeting, Marrickville ALP and conservative Independent councillor Morris Hanna voted against a Greens motion to hold a poll on Coal Seam Gas mining at the Council elections.

“A referendum would have given a clear indication to Dart Energy and the state government that the community of Marrickville have not granted coal seam gas a social licence to operate” stated Dr Leary.

“Even though the local community has been deprived of a referendum on coal seam gas, voters can still send a strong message against coal seam gas by voting for the Greens in the Marrickville Council election on 8^th September” said David Leary

“Labor approved the mining licence for Dart energy in St Peters, and the Liberals continue to refuse to revoke that licence. Only the Greens have consistently opposed coal seam gas mining and worked closely with the local community to push for Dart energy’s licence to be revoked” noted Dr Leary.

Despite the ongoing concerns of residents faced with a potential gas mining site in St. Peters, ALP and conservative independent councillors such as the Mayor Morris Hanna did not see the sense in council conducting a poll which would have, in all likelihood, shown how huge the opposition to CSG mining is in Marrickville.

“This election local residents should make their voice heard on coal seam gas” said Dr Leary

St Peters is the first urban coal seam gas drill site in Australia. It is seven kilometres from the CBD, and right next to schools, pre-schools and homes. Despite repeated requests to the State government Dart energy’s licence is yet to be revoked.

Contact: David Leary 045 865 4423

Greens and inner west residents to fight O’Farrell’s motorway plan

The Marrickville Council Greens campaign has called on the State government to abandon its plans to revive a motorway through Tempe and Marrickville. A leaked draft of the State government’s Transport Master Plan, exposed in the Sydney Morning Herald, has revealed the Liberals’ plan to carve motorways through Tempe and Marrickville (“Motorways at heart of master plan”, SMH today http://tiny.cc/iibxjw).

Starting in Tempe the proposed Motorway would cut through four local government areas including Marrickville, Sydney, Rockdale and Sutherland.

“The O’Farrell government, with its revived plans for new motorways through our area, will face a tough campaign from local residents who forced similar plans to be shelved in 2010. The Greens will make fighting these motorways, hand in hand with the community, a priority,” said Greens candidate for Marrickville Council South Ward David Leary.

“I previously called on the state government either to confirm it has no plans to build a motorway through Tempe or be honest with the local community and let them know what they are planning. Now the Liberal plan for Tempe and Marrickville has been outed the community will no doubt stand up to this government and its obsession with motorways” said Dr Leary

“The local community of Tempe and Marrickville do not want motorways destroying their homes and their neighbourhoods and now is the time to send a strong message to the Liberals that this is not on” said Dr Leary

“The people of Marrickville now know the O’Farrell Government is going to continue the failed Labor government’s romance with motorways. The Greens are ready to once again campaign against the Motorways with the residents of Tempe and St Peters.” Said David Leary

In 2010 the then Labor State government was forced to drop plans for the M5 east expansion through Tempe after intense community opposition. The plans as they stood two years ago would have involved the construction of a new four lane elevated motorway running from the exit of the existing M5 tunnel through Tempe and ending near Sydney Park in Alexandria.

The RTA spent more than $15 million on its initial feasibility study for the motorway before it was mothballed by then Labor Roads Minister David Campbell in the lead up to the State election.

Contact: Dr David Leary 045 865 4423

Newtown unwired – ZonSpot Wifi plan

Marrickville Council candidate Sylvie Ellsmore and City of Sydney Councillor and Greens Lord Mayoral Candidate Irene Doutney unveil plans for free wifi in main pedestrian and shopping strips streets across the two inner-city local government areas.

The Greens today unveiled their plan for free-wifi in main pedestrian and shopping strips streets across City of Sydney and Marrickville Councils.

City of Sydney Councillor and Greens Lord Mayoral Candidate Irene Doutney said “Sydney is one of the few major international capitals that doesn’t have a decent system of free internet access in our public spaces.”

“The Greens are committed to make this happen, with an initial trial in Newtown of solar powered free wifi hubs. The “ZonSpots” as they are called are innovative outdoor desks with free wifi powered by petal shaped solar panels which provide free energy and publicly display the use of solar power.

“This technology is available now and already being set up in Amsterdam It is cost-effective and environmentally sustainable. They would be perfect for a sunny city like Sydney” Clr Doutney said.

King Street, which is on the border of both City of Sydney and Marrickville Councils, is being considered by the Greens as the trial site for the ZonSpot Solar hubs 

Greens Lead North Ward Candidate in Marrickville, Ms Sylvie Ellsmore said: “Newtown is a hub for students, workers and tourists. It is a thriving small business district, and its cosmopolitan atmosphere makes it the perfect place to trial this idea.”

“Greens on Marrickville Council have long advocated for Council supported free wifi, and have previously pushed for free wifi along Marrickville Council’s main roads and shopping strips,” said Ms Ellsmore.

“It’s a simple, local action that Councils can take which is good for business, and good for our communities,” said Ms Ellsmore.

Clr Doutney added that the ZonSpots also provide a space for advertising and could be sponsored by sustainability companies and environmental projects which would make them more economical and raise the profile of renewable energy.

Contact: City of Sydney Councillor Irene Doutney 0416 410 374 or Greens Marrickville Candidate (North/ Wali) Sylvie Ellsmore 0403 977 213

Greens Call on Candidates to Put Extremist Last

Greens Multiculturalism spokesperson Cate Faehrmann has called on candidates running for North Ward in Marrickville Council to place the independent group led by Sergio Redegalli last on their how to vote cards.

Mr Redegalli is well known as the artist responsible for the ‘No Burqas’ mural and is associated with the far-right Australian Protectionist Party.

An article about xenophobic and racist candidates running in the Local Council elections which was published in today’s Sydney Morning Herald mentioned Mr Redegalli but did not formally identify his connections to the Australian Protectionist Party.

“Just as all mainstream parties agreed to place One Nation last in the late 1990s in the context of growing racial tensions, so we feel it is important to take a similar stance now” Ms Faehrmann said.

“We respect the right of all candidates to stand for election. But this only makes it more important that we take a united stand to ensure radically racist views are not left unchallenged.”

“The Australian Protectionist Party explicitly calls for a racially discriminatory immigration policy. Their policy statement calls to “End Third World immigration and Muslim immigration”, and equates multiculturalism with genocide.”

“We are calling on the Labor and Liberal parties to make a clear statement that racist positions like those taken by the Australian Protectionist Party are not acceptable.”

“This is an important test for our political community and we hope other parties will stand with us to ensure Marrickville remains open and tolerant – celebrating our multiculturalism”Ms Faehrmann said.

The Greens will be releasing their full how to vote cards next week. Voting is optional preferential and voters decide their own preferences, how to votes only provide recommendations.

For further information about Mr Redegalli and the Australian Protectionist Party see http://www.protectionist.net/photo-galleries/say-no-to-burqas-protest/ Policy positions of the Australian Protectionist Party are available at: http://www.protectionist.net/primary-polices/

More information: Cate Faehrmann MLC 0412 207 043