Marrickville invited to appear at Local Government Inquiry

23 July 2015

Marrickville Council is one of only three Councils invited to appear at the Sydney hearing of the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into Local Government on Monday 27 July 2015, alongside Fairfeld and Mosman Councils. The hearing will take place from 9.00am to 5.30pm at NSW Parliament, with Marrickville Council due to appear at 2.15pm. See full hearing schedule HERE.

The NSW Parliamentary Inquiry was established by the upper house and includes Greens NSW Local Government spokesperson David Shoebridge MLC . It has broad terms of reference including to examine the financial stability of local councils, and the costs and benefits of amalgamations, including evidence from other jurisdictions.

Marrickville Greens Councillors have successfully moved motions through Marrickville Council for Council to make a submission to the Parliamentary Inquiry, and to provide tools to residents to make their own submissions. The Greens oppose forced amalgamations and want to keep Local Government local. Key reasons why the Greens do not want Marrickville Council to merge can be found HERE.

The Greens are also supporting the community campaign. At this week’s Council meeting a further Greens motion was formally adopted for Council to support the Save Our Councils coalition, a multi-partisan coalition of Councillors, Mayors and local community groups from across NSW which is fighting for the right of communities to decide what happens to their Councils.

Read the submissions

You can read a copy of Marrickville Council’s submission to the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into Local Government HERE.

You can also read the very detailed Marrickville Council submission to IPART, outlining why it does not want to merge into the “super inner west Council” as proposed HERE. Applying IPART’s own (flawed) criteria residents and Council would be worse off under nearly all of the measures. Council’s IPART submission and the Marrickville Council No Forced Amalgamations page link to the detailed independent modelling commissioned by Council (the “Morrison Low” reports) which further details how Council would be worse off.

Public submissions

The Parliamentary Inquiry is due to report on 17 August 2015 – before the report from IPART with its assessment of whether individual local councils are “fit for the future” is made to the NSW Government. The IPART report won’t be released to the public, so Councils won’t be told whether or why they’re being recommended for merger.

It’s too late to make a submission to the Parliamentary Inquiry but residents can send a submission to IPART until 31 July 2015. You can do this through the IPART website – an email or letter is all that’s needed.

Get involved in the community campaign!

• Show your support on FaceBook through the Save Our Council page
•  Sign up to the newsletter of the Greens NSW Local Government spokesperson David Shoebridge here
• Share the info on the Save Our Councils wordpress site (Statewide)
• Share the info on the Save Marrickville Council campaign page
• Share the info on the Marrickville Council website (more resources currently under development)

 

Greens vision for local pools realised

Petersham Pool officially re-opened this weekend following an extensive refurbishment, including new play equipment in adjoining Petersham Park.  A series of events were held to celebrate the opening, including games to mark the birthday of its namesake – Sarah “Fanny” Durack. Fanny Durack was the first woman swimmer to win an Olympic Gold Medal at Stockholm 1912 and held every world freestyle record from 100 yards to one mile.

Greens Councillor David Leary said, “The opening of the pool realises a long term vision of the Greens on Marrickville Council, to ensure that we invest and upgrade our essential public services.

“The previous Greens Councillors had strongly supported the upgrade of Petersham Pool.

“However it had been slipping behind current standards, so the Greens on Council worked to ensure it was prioritised on the list of Major Works. Community love this facility as an open air neighbourhood pool and the Greens were conscious to have it remain just that.

“The pool remained open while Enmore Aquatic Centre was being built to ensure swimming facilities were always available in the Council area.

“The new Petersham Pool will provide all the amenity of the old pool but its new filtration system will ensure better water quality. The new café will operate into the pool area and Petersham Park providing improved service to park and pool users alike. Integration of the pool into the park was a major concern when developing the design program to ensure that the historic Petersham Park received the respect it deserves,” Clr Leary said.

Greens Councillor Max Phillips highlighted that the opening of the pool was linked to the ongoing work of the Greens on Council to increase investment in Council owned services. In particular last term the Greens worked to ensure that the Annette Kellerman Aquatic Centre (Enmore Pool) was upgraded and reopened as an energy efficient, 50 metre pool, café and gym complex.

Clr Phillips said, “Greens councillors championed the pool against some pretty stiff opposition from the other Councillors, so this is really heartening.”

“The Annette Kellerman Aquatic Centre is now the most popular service in our local area, for very young families through to our more mature residents. The new pool also generates revenue for Council to invest in other infrastructure and services.

“This result shows Council can deliver big projects that provide the facilities our community wants without being a burden on rate payers. It is great to the Greens vision for the upgrade of Petersham Pool also realised,” said Clr Phillips.

For more about the Fanny Durack Aquatic Centre Petersham including opening hours visit http://www.fdac.com.au

For more info about the Annette Kellerman Aquatic Centre Petersham visit http://www.akac.com.au/

 

 

Community rallies to save market

20 August 2013

In less than a week more than 2500 people have signed petitions calling on Marrickville Council to reverse its decision to shut down Newtown Markets.

Greens Councillor Sylvie Ellsmore said, “I spent Saturday at the Newtown markets, talking to local residents and visitors who had come to show their support.

“People are very, very angry at what they see as an attempt to gentrify Newtown and attack its creative and activist spirit. People were also very angry at what they see as a mean-spirited decision to cut funding to the Newtown Neighbourhood Centre.

Residents sign the petition to save the markets

“Markets add to the vibrancy of Newtown and provide an opportunity for small and emerging businesses. They represent a place for our community to connect, amongst an expanding number of chain stores and frozen yoghurt shops,” she said.

The Liberals, Conservative Mayor and a minority of Labor Councillors moved to shut down the markets last week, in a decision which will be reconsidered on appeal by the full Council. No stall holders were fined on Saturday, and the markets will be able to continue until the appeal is considered.

Clr Ellsmore said, “The Greens are strong supporters of the Newtown Markets, and want to see expanding food and creative markets in our local area. During the last term of Council the Greens moved to introduce night noodle markets but were opposed by Conservative and Labor Councils on the basis that markets compete with local business.

Councillor Sylvie Ellsmore talks to residents signing the petition to save the markets

“The claims that the markets detract from Newtown or are opposed by local business are a total beat up. Local businesses are rallying behind the Newtown markets. The Newtown Business Precinct Association held a stall at the markets on Saturday, and several local businesses have contacted Marrickville Council to express anger at the decision.

“The Liberals are clearly out of touch not only with local residents but with the local businesses of Newtown.

“To date only one business has come forward opposing the markets – the Hub. While I hope that the iconic Hub Theatre building can reopen in the future, at this point it has no approval to operate and has not applied to Council for approval.

“A cooperative plan to allow the markets and the Hub to both operate is something that can be accommodated when we know what the Hub’s plans are.

The Hub Theatre at Newtown, currently closed

Clr Ellsmore said, “The fact that the markets are a not for profit enterprise makes the decision even more misguided. I hope this decision does not threaten the strong partnership Council has historically had with the Newtown Neighbourhood Centre.”

Media comment: Clr Sylvie Ellsmore (Wali- North Ward)    0403 977 213

More information is available in Council reports and meeting minutes:

• 13 August 2013  DA Newtown Markets including staff report recommending approval with extensive conditions

• 13 August 2013 Markets Hub Fire Safety Report – a copy of the fire report about the Hub, and the recommendation from staff indicating that there was no issue with the markets operating as long as suitable conditions are imposed

• 13 July 2013 Econ Report Newtown Markets – The report from Council’s Economic Development Unit about the positive impact of the markets on local business

• June 2013 Council votes to waive the “pitch charge” for the Newtown Markets

• 12 May 2013 May Council Meeting Minutes Markets – At its May meeting the Council adopted two Greens Notices of Motion about the Newtown Markets. The motions were supported by Liberal Councillor Mark Gardiner.

Copies of media comment by the Newtown Neighbourhood Centre can be found here: http://www.newtowncentre.org/_pdfs/save_newtown_markets.pdf

Copies of the public statement in support of the markets made by the Newtown Business Precinct Association can be found here: http://www.newtownprecinct.com.au/article/we-love-newtown-markets

Newtown Market Stall 20 August 2013

Newtown Market Live Music 20 August 2013

Libs plan to shut down Newtown markets failing

A Liberal plan to end the Newtown Markets is set to fail, in what appears to be a clumsy election stunt targeted at the Greens.

Newly elected Liberals moved on Tuesday night to immediately shut down the popular Newtown community markets. Due to the absence of a small number of Councillors at the meeting, the Liberals had the numbers to refuse the Development Approval for the markets. They went on to move a motion that enforcement officers be sent to issue stall holders fines this weekend.

The Greens encouraged an appeal against the Council decision. The appeal was made at 11am this morning by the Newtown Neighbourhood Centre.

The motion to shut down the markets was passed with the support of the Liberals, two Labor Councillors and the Conservative Labor-backed Mayor, but the Labor Councillors are understood to be reconsidering their position.

Greens Councillor for North Ward Sylvie Ellsmore, said: “The move to shut down the popular Newtown markets and send in enforcement officers was an outrageous and heavy-handed action.

“The Newtown Markets are a social enterprise which was established with the support of the previous Council. The Greens support a vibrant community strip, and cancellation of the markets would have cut funding for important community projects.

“The Greens were the only party to stand united in support of the markets, and my phone was ringing off the hook yesterday as we worked to find ways to overturn the decision,” she said.

The Greens are confident that the full Council will uphold the appeal against the refusal of the DA for the markets.

Clr Ellsmore said, “In what I can only put down to an election brain explosion, the Liberals ignored the support of the local business association and the glowing reports from our own Council staff to move for the immediate shut down of the markets.”

The action comes on the same day that the Liberal Party announced that it would not preference the Greens in lower house seats. Support for expanding community markets in the inner west was a Greens commitment during the 2012 Local Council election.

“The appeal should prevent any fines for stall holders this weekend. We encourage local residents to come down to the markets on the weekend to show their support,” Clr Ellsmore said.

“We had engaged in talks with local businesses and called for reports months ago to ensure that any potential issues with the markets were dealt with through DA conditions. We may be in an election period, but Councillors of all parties owe it to the community to try and work together to find cooperative outcomes, and not to misuse our positions for political gain.

“What is even more disappointing is that, having refused the markets because of “overuse” of the site, at the same meeting the Liberals and Labor then moved or voted for a series of DAs by commercial developers which failed to comply with Council development controls,” she said.

“The Greens remain united behind the markets and call on the other Councillors to confirm that they will reverse the decision to shut down the markets,” said Clr Ellsmore.

Media Contact: Clr Sylvie Ellsmore 0403 977 213

Council’s review of the markets found it was a successful incubator for local businesses, with two local businesses growing from market stalls to renting shopfronts on King Street.

The Newtown Markets were also last year the successful recipient of an award from the adjoining Marrickville Chamber of Commerce. It is understood that a planned food and wine fair market day sponsored by the local businesses association (Newtown Business Precinct Association) will also not be able to proceed unless Council overturns its decision.

More information is available in Council reports and meeting minutes:

• 13 August 2013  DA Newtown Markets including staff report recommending approval with extensive conditions

• 13 August 2013 Markets Hub Fire Safety Report – a copy of the fire report about the Hub, and the recommendation from staff indicating that there was no issue with the markets operating as long as suitable conditions are imposed

• 13 July 2013 Econ Report Newtown Markets – The report from Council’s Economic Development Unit about the positive impact of the markets on local business

• June 2013 Council votes to waive the “pitch charge” for the Newtown Markets

• 12 May 2013 May Council Meeting Minutes Markets – At its May meeting the Council adopted two Greens Notices of Motion about the Newtown Markets. The motions were supported by Liberal Councillor Mark Gardiner.

Future Cooks River Safe Swimming Spot

As part of the ongoing campaign to make the Cooks River swimmable again, on 2 July Marrickville Council gave in principle support for the nomination of Kendrick Park as a potential, future safe swimming site on the Cooks River. Council has also called for a report on progress towards its goal to make the Cooks River swimmable again, including water monitoring.

Kendrick Park was nominated by the Marrickville Cooks River Committee, a community advisory committee in operation since 2005, and established with the support of Greens on Council.

It is part of Marrickville Council’s 2023 Strategic Vision that “the environment is healthy and native plants and animals are thriving. The community works together to achieve the vision of swimming in the Cooks River and to minimise its ecological footprint.”

Kendrick Park was selected because of its accessibility, toilet/ change facilities and predicted better water quality compared to other sites in the LGA. Council and residents have done considerable work over recent years to upgrade the banks of the river, on bush regeneration, and to establish new seating, signage and landscaping at the site.

The Cooks River Valley Association has been campaigning to achieve a healthy river which is safe for swimming. Earlier this year local Greens Councillors joined members of the CRVA and other local residents at a No Swimming Carnival in the banks of the Cooks River. As part of the campaign they have launched a postcard to the Premier, asking for more investment to help clean up the river. The postcard features a photo of the original Cooks River Surf Life Saving Club.

Campaign Postcard to clean up the Cooks River by the Cooks River Valley Association

For more information about the campaign see the CRVA website.

You can also contact the Greens Councillor David Leary, who represents Council on the Cooks River Valley Committee 2012-3, on Mob: 0409 421 323 or email dleary@marrickville.nsw.gov.au

Community Forum on Planning Reforms – Wed 12 June, Erskineville

Join us on Wednesday 12  June 2013 for a public forum about the State Government’s plans to radically overhaul the State’s planning laws.

Did you know?

• The State Government has released draft legislation which it hopes to have before Parliament by September this year.
• Current planning laws and plans (like Local Environment Plans) would be replaced with a new system.
• Early ‘strategic’ consultation would replace notification on individual developments. This would mean residents’ could not object to 80% of development applications, including many high-rise.
• The changes would water down current environmental and heritage protections.
• The changes would remove the ability of local Councils to set affordable housing targets for new developments.
• There is an opportunity for public submissions but this closes on 28 June 2013.

Public forums are being urgently organised across NSW by  community, environment and heritage groups. Come along to the Erskineville Town Hall to hear about how these changes will affect and how to have your say!

Wednesday 12 June 2013, Erskineville Town Hall (Erskineville Rd, 5 mins walk from King St and 3 mins from Erskineville Station)

6pm Doors open

6.30pm Overview of the proposed reforms by  Greens planning spokesperson David Shoebridge MLC and Corinne Fisher of the Better Planning Network

7.15pm Panel of local heritage, residents and environment groups, to answer questions and put forward their views about the proposed changes.

7.45pm What can residents do to get active in response to the changes?

8.00pm Meeting close

Hosted by: Marrickville Councillor Sylvie Ellsmore (Wali-North Ward) and City of Sydney Councillor Irene Doutney

Find out more

• What is the Planning White Paper and where can I get a copy of the draft legislation? Visit the NSW Department of Planning’s website
• Where can I get an overview of the changes? A range of community groups have developed guides to explain the White Paper, including the Nature Conservation Council , the Environmental Defenders Office, the Better Planning Network and the Greens.
• How do I make  a submission? You can make a submission online. Also see submission guides and cheat sheets by the Nature Conservation Council and the Greens.

Visit the Local Greens Planning & Heritage Page for a summary of the changes and the Greens Vision for Planning in NSW here.

Public Forum on Planning Reforms – Redfern 27 May 2013

Join local residents and Greens at a public forum on Monday 27 May 2013 about plans to radically overhaul the State’s planning laws. Your current right to comment on DAs will be removed for 80% of developments including many high-rise. Come and hear about how these changes will affect and how to have your say!

Monday 27th May, 6:30pm

Redfern Town Hall, 73 Pitt St Redfern

Guest Speakers

• Nature Conservation Council
• Better Planning Network
• David Shoebridge MLC, Greens planning spokesperson
• Ron Hoenig MP, ALP Member for Heffron
• Brad Hazzard, Planning Minister (invited)

This meeting follows a well-attended meeting on the Planning Green Paper last year and it aims to help people in the community get an early understanding of the issues raised by the White Paper and the Draft Legislation (they differ in some key respects).

Please spread the word of this forum as the new system proposes to take away key protections in the current planning act. This includes precautionary principles and residents rights to comment on Development Applications in up to 80% of developments. The new planning system proposes instead that the community will be involved in preparing the regional and local planning controls years in advance of developments and will no longer need to comment on most developments in their area because they had the opportunity to have their say in regional planning!