Brothel Closure a win for Residents

The decision by the chief justice of the Land and Environment Court to close the Potts Point brothel Misty's has reassured long suffering residents in the area that the law can protect their rights to enjoy security and comfort in their neighbourhood. The decision forces the current operator to leave the site within a few months although unfortunately it does not extinguish the right for the site to continue as a brothel under another operator.
The former pro sex industry South Sydney Council approved the brothel to operate under a different owner in 1998. It should never have done also being located in the heart of a residential area, surrounded by modern apartments and directly next door to a girls high school. Any new operator will be on notice after this landmark case and be warned to proceed with great caution to move into the site which would be much better suited as residential.

It has been noted by several observant residents that so called local publicity seeking heritage experts have claimed credit on this case in usual dial a quote style. Speaking with residents and checking the court proceedings (available on Council's web site link below) they appear conspicuously absent. It is hard to see the publicity driven link between a brothel and so this so called heritage band wagon. Some have suggested it is up there with opposing walking dogs in parks and night clubs in the centre of the Cross. This court case was about residential safety, law and order, public confidence in our planning and legal systems and nothing to do with heritage.

Council report Item 4 here.

Judge orders brothel to shut

Justin NorrieDecember 8, 2006
THE future of dozens of NSW brothels is in doubt after a court decision to shut a Potts Point sex business whose clients regularly disturbed the neighbourhood.
In a judgement that sets a precedent for the sex industry, the NSW Land and Environment Court has ordered the Tusculum Street "massage and masturbation" parlour, Misty's, to shut within four months after complaints by neighbours about late-night disturbances.
It was the first time the court has used its power to make an order under the recently enacted section 17(1) of the Restricted Premises Act . The section allows councils to apply to the court to have a brothel shut where it operates within view of a church, hospital or school and interferes with the public amenity.
Residents and students at the adjoining Catholic girls' boarding school, St Vincent's College, had frequently complained to City of Sydney Council about "antisocial behaviour including urinating, fighting, using offensive language, throwing rubbish and intimidating residents and students", said the court's chief justice, Brian Preston.
The operator of the brothel, Suzelle Antic, did not respond to a request for an interview yesterday. The Herald understands she plans to appeal against the ruling, which also ordered that her business pay the council's $60,000 legal costs.
The Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, said the decision was a warning to all rogue brothel operators.
More than 30 witnesses testified against the Potts Point brothel, which has boasted in advertisements that it has "50 Ladies! Now 10 rooms!"
They were supported by the Potts Point & Kings Cross Heritage Conservation Society president, Andrew Woodhouse, who said: "Brothel owners everywhere should be alert and alarmed about this. We're not against sex; we're for residents. This decision - a major first - potentially affects hundreds of brothels in the state."
Two private investigators hired by Misty's who gave evidence admitted to the court that they had seen groups of young men "smashing bottles on the road, hitting a road and traffic sign with a stick, urinating on trees in Tusculum Street, on nearby apartment block walls and even on the tyres of the private investigators' car."
Chief Justice Preston was unswayed by the opinion of a social planner, Dr Rigmor Berg, who argued the closure would mean that "in the short term, men would not be able to relieve their sexual frustration at Misty's."

"Sydney's Own Dear Clover is More a a Mixture of Respect and Fear"

Scandals: He's not our MOM

Melbourne's Lord Mayor, John So, has been named the World's Most Outstanding Mayor, but we're here to dispute the claim before it goes to the Second City's head. We reckon Melburnians rorted the poll in some way.
As we understand the situation, Melbourne's infatuation with So is a mixture of respect for his management skills and amusement at his cuteness (Sydney's view of Our Own Dear Clover is more a mixture of respect and fear). During the Commonwealth Games, Them Down There wore T-shirts bearing So's name and wrote songs dedicated to him. Now, it seems, they've overwhelmed an international website.
So's triumph was announced yesterday by a group called City Mayors, who said he had been voted the best from among 677 civic leaders. Over five months earlier this year, City Mayors polled 103,000 people (or roughly 0.000016 per cent of the world's population). So got more than 16,000 votes, enabling him to join such previous winners as Edi Rama of Tirana, Albania, who went on to become the country's opposition leader.
Did anyone in Sydney even know about this contest? We're sure Clover Moore would have at least 16,000 supporters willing to cast an anonymous vote to get their mayor some worldwide recognition next year. The campaign starts now: Clover for MOM in '07! Prepare to vote on worldmayor.com. Ballots open sometime in June, we think.

Frank does not get it all his way with CSPC Amendments

eCouncillor has been working for the past few days upsetting Planning Minister Frank Sartor's apple cart as he works to take all developments in NSW. Sartor's intention in the original amendment to the City of Sydney Act was to make all 4 government appointees (of the 7 Central Sydney Planning Committee members) his total control to appoint. We managed to make that a little more difficult for him.

Thanks go to Liberal Parliamentarians Don Harwin MLC and Greg Pearce MLC (as well as Shadow Minister Chris Hartcher) for supporting the campaign.

For those interested some background note are included at the bottom of the Hansard extract for information.

-----Original Message-----From: Shayne Mallard Sent: Thursday, 23 November 2006 3:15 PMSubject: Report - Hansard Legislative Council - CSPC amendments

Dear Councillors

Following from the Council motion on Monday night, John McInerney and I have worked tirelessly over the past few days to highlight and if possible change the amendments to the membership of the CSPC. Last night the Bill went through the Legislative Council and I am pleased to inform you that as a result of the pressure the Council, Institute of Architects, Planning Institute and others have applied to the Minister over the proposed changes that a compromise was offered via a government initiated amendment moved by Fred Nile MLC being -
((3) At least one of the senior State government employees appointed under subsection (1) (c) must be either the Director-General of the Department of Planning or a senior executive officer of the Department of Planning.)

The amendment in effect largely guarantees the CSPC and Council the continued direct strategic link to the highest levels of the Department of Planning. On the issue of the Government Architect we were able extract a written and Hansard recorded guarantee from the Minister that he had 'no intention of removing the Government Architect' from the CSPC.

regards

Shayne

PS I have highlighted in the Hansard below a reference to our Council. There were many of those last night but this one is of interest.



Subject: Hansard Legislative Council - CSPC amendments

The Hon. GREG PEARCE [7.20 p.m.] by leave: I move Opposition amendments Nos 1, 2 and 3:No. 1 Page 21, schedule 2 [4], lines 12–31. Omit all words on those lines. Insert instead:[4] Section 34 Members of Planning CommitteeOmit section 34 (3).No. 2 Page 22, schedule 2 [11] and [12], lines 20–24. Omit all words on those lines.No. 3 Page 24, schedule 2 [19], proposed clause 33, lines 20–25. Omit all words on those lines.The intention of the amendment is to prevent the change to the Central Sydney Planning Committee membership and appointment process outlined in the bill. I will not want to speak to this amendment at length because I put most of my argument in the second reading debate. However, I want to clear up one issue, and that is in relation to the Government Architect. In my second reading speech I spoke about the Government Architect being a member of the committee. What in fact has happened, I am assured by everyone involved, is that the Government Architect has been appointed as a matter of routine; indeed, the Government's second reading speech assured us that the Government chooses to appoint the Government Architect as one of its appointments, and the Minister has advised that he has no intention of removing the Government Architect from that appointment.That begs the question: Why have the amendment at all if the intention is to continue to have the benefit of the Government Architect as a member of the committee? There seems to be no good reason for the amendment.
I note that councillors John McInerney and Shayne Mallard are in the Chamber. They are very concerned about this matter, as is the city council. I said in my speech to the second reading debate last night that the council had moved a motion, which was passed by 9 votes to 1, supporting the amendments that the Opposition is putting today. That motion was supported by Councillor Verity Firth of the Australian Labor Party, who I am told will be a candidate for the seat of Balmain in the 2007 elections. I am told also that Verity is President Burgmann's favourite niece. So she obviously has a great deal of sense, and her recommendation not to support the amendment, which gives more power to Minister Sartor, is noted. The other member of the committee is the director of the Department of Planning, and we support that continuing membership as well.
The Hon. TONY KELLY (Minister for Justice, Minister for Juvenile Justice, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Lands, and Minister for Rural Affairs) [7.21 p.m.]: The Government does not support the Opposition amendments as they would take us back to a complicated and barely workable provision such as we have in the City of Sydney Act for the appointment of independent and non-government members. The bill provides for a better mix of expertise for independent and senior Government members than the status quo proposed by the Opposition.It is important to note that the Government-appointed Central Sydney Planning Committee [CSPC] members initiated these changes with a proposal for eight separate changes to the bill. Suggestions that these changes are an attempt to assert greater authority are simply incorrect. In fact, the Minister specifically did not include a number of changes requested by CSPC members as it was thought those might cause antagonism with the council. As was outlined in the second reading speech in the other place, the current legislation does not specifically nominate the Government Architect as a government member of the CSPC. The reason he is on the committee is that the Government chooses to appoint him. The Minister in the other place gave a specific assurance in the second reading speech that the Minister had no intention of removing the Government Architect as one of the Government nominees. The Government opposes the amendment.
Ms SYLVIA HALE [7.23 p.m.]: The Greens support the amendments. The Opposition's amendments are identical with circulated Greens amendments 11, 12 and 13. It really is ironic that the Central Sydney Planning Committee should comprise seven people, three of whom are elected councillors and four of whom are Government appointees. Clearly, the Government has the power virtually to direct what happens at those committee meetings. When Ms Jennifer Westacott was Director General of Planning she made a point of attending virtually every meeting of the planning committee. Since Mr Haddad has been director general, I understand he is yet to attend one meeting. No doubt this is because of the amount of work that the Department of Planning is now experiencing as bio-developers rush to ask the Government to declare projects to be major part 3A projects or to declare concept approvals.One interesting point I have discovered from reading the Government's literature over a period of time is that, although developments being called in by the department are consuming so much of the director general's time, the average time the department takes to make a decision is seven months. Yet councils are berated because they do not come up with decisions on equally large projects within 40 days. That indicates the double standards adopted by the Government on so many matters. As I have indicated, circulated Greens amendments 11, 12 and 13 are identical with these Opposition amendments, and therefore we support them.
The Hon. TONY KELLY (Minister for Justice, Minister for Juvenile Justice, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Lands, and Minister for Rural Affairs) [7.25 p.m.]: I should mention that Reverend the Hon. Fred Nile has foreshadowed an amendment. I indicate that the Government will be supporting his sensible amendment. I understand that his amendment cannot be moved unless these Opposition amendments are defeated.The CHAIR: Reverend the Hon. Fred Nile can move his amendment now. However, if he does and the Opposition amendments are carried, his amendment will lapse. Reverend the
Hon. FRED NILE [7.26 p.m.]: I move Christian Democratic Party amendment on sheet C-088:Page 21, schedule 2 [4]. Insert after line 31:(3) At least one of the senior State government employees appointed under subsection (1) (c) must be either the Director-General of the Department of Planning or a senior executive officer of the Department of Planning.As I said earlier, and as has been picked up by the Hon. Greg Pearce, many red herrings have been raised regarding this bill, from cover to cover, and we have been given considerable misleading information. For instance, we were advised that the Government was ruthlessly scrapping the Government Architect and the Director General of the Department of Planning as members of the planning committee. So we all assumed that they were on the planning committee—until I read the City of Sydney Act of 1988, No. 48. Surprise! Surprise! The Government Architect is not mentioned anywhere in that Act. He may be appointed by the Minister, and he may have been able to attend meetings in the past, but apparently he has not attended. Minister Sartor has indicated in advice to me that he has no objection to the Government Architect being appointed at some time. The Minister has discretion to appoint the Government Architect or another person, as is provided for in the bill as follows:The Minister administering Part 4 of the Planning Act is to obtain the concurrence of the Minister administering the Public Works Act 1912 before appointing a senior State government employee under subsection (1) (c) if the employee is appointed because of his or her expertise in architecture or civic design.I would imagine that could provide for appointment of the Government Architect, or perhaps another person with the same qualifications or with even greater expertise or knowledge if that is required for the planning of the city of Sydney.
The Hon. TONY KELLY (Minister for Justice, Minister for Juvenile Justice, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Lands, and Minister for Rural Affairs) [7.28 p.m.]: Now that Reverend the Hon. Fred Nile has moved his amendment, I point out that the Government welcomes his amendment, which clarifies the ongoing important nexus between the Department of Planning and the Central Sydney Planning Committee. It ensures that one of the Government representatives is either the Director General of the Department of Planning or a member of the executive of the Department of Planning. This amendment addresses some perceived concerns on this matter, and it is supported by the Government.Question—That Opposition amendments Nos 1, 2 and 3 be agreed to—put.The Committee divided.
Ayes, 18
Mr BreenDr Chesterfield-EvansMr ClarkeMr CohenMs CusackMr GallacherMiss Gardiner
Mr GayMs HaleMr LynnMr Mason-CoxMs ParkerMrs PaveyMr Pearce
Ms RhiannonMr RyanTellers,Mr CollessMr Harwin
Noes, 23
Mr BrownDr BurgmannMs BurnswoodsMr CatanzaritiMr CostaMr Della BoscaMr DonnellyMs Griffin
Mr HatzistergosMr JenkinsMr KellyMr MacdonaldReverend Dr MoyesReverend NileMr ObeidMr Oldfield
Ms RobertsonMr RoozendaalMs SharpeMr TsangDr WongTellers,Mr PrimroseMr West
Question resolved in the negative.Amendments negatived.Christian Democratic Party amendment No. 1 agreed to.Schedule 2 as amended agreed to.Schedule 3 agreed to.Title agreed to.Bill reported from Committee with an amendment and report adopted.
Third Reading
The Hon. TONY KELLY (Minister for Justice, Minister for Juvenile Justice, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Lands, and Minister for Rural Affairs) [7.37 p.m.]: I move:That this bill be now read a third time.The House divided.
Ayes, 22
Mr BrownMs BurnswoodsMr CatanzaritiMr CostaMr Della BoscaMr DonnellyMs FazioMs Griffin
Mr HatzistergosMr JenkinsMr KellyMr MacdonaldReverend Dr MoyesReverend NileMr OldfieldMs Robertson
Mr RoozendaalMs SharpeMr TsangDr WongTellers,Mr PrimroseMr West
Noes, 18
Mr BreenDr Chesterfield-EvansMr ClarkeMr CohenMs CusackMr GallacherMiss Gardiner
Mr GayMs HaleMr LynnMr Mason-CoxMs ParkerMrs PaveyMr Pearce
Ms RhiannonMr RyanTellers,Mr CollessMr Harwin
Question resolved in the affirmative.Motion agreed to.Bill read a third time.[The President left the chair at 7.40 p.m. The House resumed at 8.30 p.m.]
http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/PARLMENT/hansArt.nsf/V3Key/LC20061122050

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

BACKGROUND NOTES

Environmental Planning Legislation Amendment Bill 2006

City of Sydney opposes the weakening of ‘independence’ of the Central Sydney Planning Committee (CSPC) through amendments contained in the Bill.

Background: CSPC deals with all developments with value above $50 Million eg Westfield Centre point ($430 M) and has a guarantee veto over the LEP (new or amendments) for City of Sydney.

CSPC was created by the Greiner Government to take some of the Council politics out of important economic driver projects in the City and has been largely successful in doing this - even under Frank Sartor as Lord Mayor.

Current City of Sydney Act says the membership of CSPC is (S34):
1(a) the Lord Mayor of Sydney,
(b) a senior government employee with architectural experience nominated by the Minister administering the Public Works Act 1912,
(c) 2 councillors of the City of Sydney elected by the City Council,
(d) the Director of Planning under the Planning Act, and
(e) 2 persons appointed, subject to subsection (2), by the Minister administering Part 4 of the Planning Act.

Bold above indicates the two positions on the CSPC who are members by virtue of their senior and relevant government positions as public servants.

Note that (d) has always resulted in the appointment of the Government Architect since 1988 and is currently respected architect Mr Peter Mould.

The balance and relative independence of the CSPC is being weakened by the amendment to give the Minister absolute control on appointment of all 4 government members.

The amendment to the CSPC in the Bill - Sec 34 (1) ‘Members of Planning Committee’ - Council representatives is unchanged (3 including Lord Mayor as chair).

Amendment Bill - (c) defines the government appointees to the CSPC as
“4 persons (2 of whom are senior State Government employees and 2 of whom are not State or local government employees) appointed by the Minister administering Part 4 of the Planning Act, each having expertise in at least one of architecture, building, civic design, construction, engineering, transport, tourism, the arts, planning or heritage.”

The CSPC discussed this issue last Thursday night and there are strong reservations about removing the ex-officio membership of the Government Architect and the Director General of Planning (or their alternates) from the CSPC.

The minuted views of four of the 7 members (Moore, McInerney, Mallard and La Marchant) was that the Government Architect provided invaluable professional insight and leadership for the CSPC and City as the stateÂ’s top architect and that the DG of Planning provided an invaluable direct linkage to the Department on a critical strategic level for the City.

Both the DG of Planning and the Government Architect are viewed as relatively independent public servants appointed by virtue of their senior positions in the government and not by patronage of the Minister of the day as is now proposed under the amendments.

The Minister has now claimed that the DG of Planning is too busy to attend CSPC meetings. However he sends his appointed alternate Ms Petula Samios.

Because of the seniority of the appointment and it being a legislated position the Department of Planning resources the position to a high standard. This gives the CSPC and Council direct lines of communication to the highest strategic levels of the DOP.

Note that the City of Sydney is the only local government area that is a stand alone sub-region in the metro-strategy and accounts for 18% of the national GDP. The amendments to the Act will sever or at least weaken this strategic relationship between CSPC/Council and the government.

Removal of the Government Architect is also a serious issue for the Architecture profession and its direct role and leadership in the shape and function of the City of Sydney into the future.

Dr Deborah Dearing President of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects has written to all MLCÂ’s expressing their opposition to the amendments.

We refer you to todayÂ’s page 3 SMH article reporting these concerns.

City of Sydney Council meeting on Monday night adopted the following resolution 9 : 1 with two ALP supporting the motion and Clr Michael Lee lone in opposing.

“The Council notes the amendments to the City of Sydney Act currently before the Parliament that remove the ex-officio appointment to the CSPC of the Director General (or alternate) of the Department of Planning and the ‘senior government employee with architecture experience’ that has always been the appointment of the Government Architect of the day. The Council joins with four of the CSPC members in expressing concern about these amendments and calls upon the Minister for Planning to not amend the provisions of the current Act (s34) as it is highly desirable for the City of Sydney to retain the direct relationship of the CSPC and Council with the Director General of the Department of Planning and the Government Architect.”

Buses & Light Rail needed in CBD

eCouncillor is pleased to see the Iemma Government moving to address public transport over-load and grid lock in the CBD with the (re) announcement of bus lanes, interchanges and priority in the CBD (see SMH article below). I fully support the City of Sydney's campaign to have a light rail loop built in the CBD from Central station to Circular Quay. There is debate about the true cost benefits of a light rail loop. But there is little doubt that after the initial capital investment is accounted for the system will help alleviate the grid lock of buses in the CBD and provide a more coherent transport loop for internal CBD travel. As I walk around the CBD each day I am distressed at the aggression and speed of the government buses as they race along George and Elizabeth Streets. Every day I witness government buses running red lights and blocking pedestrian access at the park Street intersections with both Elizabeth and George. Creating a strong east west interchange at park Street seems to make sense and interconnecting it with underground heavy rail and surface light rail will build a world class public transport hub. Not forgetting taxis that provide an important public transport element. The government will have to work with Council on a new location for the large and popular Park Street taxi ranks if the space is needed for bus stops.

eCouncillor is pleased that Gladys Berejiklian MP has been appointed the Shadow Minister for Transport by Peter Debnam. This is a critical portfolio and has been held by high profile opposition members including Debnam himself and Barry O'Farrell. One of Gladys' first media statements as the new spokesperson was to reaffirm the Liberal commitment to building the Central to Circular Quay light rail loop.

Buses rule in city transport plan Sydney Morning Herald

Other related coverage
Iemma's poll ticket: $660m transport fix
Long road ahead to better transport

Jordan Baker Transport ReporterNovember 23, 2006

See map of CBD changes here.

CARS would be squeezed out of the city under the State Government's plan to create more bus lanes, reduce parking and potentially close five blocks of George Street to private traffic.
Buried in the detail of the Urban Transport Statement, released this week, are radical plans to manage growing bus congestion in Sydney by increasing their share of the city's main streets.
However, critics warn the plan would turn the city into a bus terminal.
Under the proposal, a mid-city interchange would be built on Park Street between George and Pitt streets in 2007-08, and would operate like the interchanges at Central or Circular Quay.
The Government says the interchange would not be a structure, rather a terminus for east-west routes to service buses running on George Street.
But an extra bus stop on each side is likely to reduce the amount of Park Street available to traffic, again creating an obstacle on the key east-west alternative to the Cross City Tunnel.
The most radical proposal is for a large chunk of George Street - between Market and Bridge streets - to become a transit mall, traditionally an area closed to private traffic.
The statement calls for a feasibility study in 2008-09. Options could include closing the street to cars at peak hour.
Another measure is the establishment of two-way bus lanes along the length of George and Elizabeth streets between Central and Circular Quay, which the Government says would cut 13 minutes off journey times.
Buses would be removed from Castlereagh Street. The statement pledges to reduce surface traffic by cutting on-street parking and increasing its cost, and amalgamating smaller bus stops into big bus bays.
Kevin Warrell, the chief executive of Metro Transport, which runs Sydney's light rail system and has the first option for the next light rail line, said the plan was "more of the same".
"Taking the road space to turn Sydney into a bus terminal doesn't exactly seem the best way to plan Sydney's transport to me," he said.
"Putting more and more buses into the city has quite bad effects on the environment. It's the centre of our beautiful city and they're turning it into a bus terminal because they've got an obsession with buses."
A Government argument against light rail has long been the need to quarantine George and Elizabeth streets from general traffic, but light rail advocates say this plan would take up just as much room.
The NSW executive director of the Property Council, Ken Morrison, whose group is part of a coalition lobbying for a long-term solution to the city's congestion, said he wanted more.
"What's proposed here is a logical thing to be doing Â…" he said. "But it's not going to be sufficient to provide for growth.
"We have some fairly bullish growth projections in terms of jobs, tourism and residents. It is likely to require higher-capacity public transport systems to meet them. It may be light rail, it may be metro."
The statement listed a metro line as a long-term possibility, but did not commit to it. Modelled on the Paris Metro system, it would cater for high-demand inner-city areas such as the east and inner west, or main western centres.

The City of Sydney's Light rail strategy -

Light Rail

Great cities require well resourced, efficient and integrated transport systems which link communities to each other, workers to their workplaces, residents and visitors to the cityÂ’s amenities and tourist features and businesses to goods, services and markets within the city, the region and the global economy. The City of Sydney requires integrated public transport systems (heavy rail, metro rail, light rail, buses, ferries) suited to a global city of the 21st century.
Patronage on public transport and road use in the City and inner suburbs has increased significantly in recent years, with continued employment and population growth. Our existing transport systems are already at capacity and cannot cope with projected future population growth.
The City commissioned a report on mass transit that recommends:
key corridors linking the city with the inner suburbs from Bondi to Parramatta;
extension of the current line from Central to Circular Quay;
reorganising bus routes to act as feeders and to increase the number of cross regional bus services;
limiting parking levels in the CBD in commercial parking stations at current levels and providing incentives to minimise parking provided in new developments;
providing additional park and ride opportunities at strategic locations, especially on the light rail routes to encourage car drivers to use public transport;
providing wider footpaths and cycle lanes in city streets and other locations with the light rail network;
adding at least one kilometre of pedestrianised streets to the city centre by 2021 and;
supporting the development of car sharing, individual travel marketing schemes and other travel demand management strategies.

More here on COS website

eCouncillor on Light rail

Benefits of increased Cycling

More from my friends in Odense, Denmark with evidence of the health and subsequent economic benefits of increased participation in cycling in the workforce. The economic argument is having more bite with the treasury and rationalist planners of most western cities including in Australia.

Unfortunately the NSW State government is lagging behind Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane in seeing the economic benefits of increased cycling in the workforce. Troels Andersen who is in charge of the cycling programs in Odense travels the world talking about the success and benefits of increased cycling has bought to the Danish city. eCouncillor met Troels at the Bicycle Federation of Australia conference held in Brisbane last year where he presented on the Odense experience. Good links above that can keep cycling advocates surfing all weekend! Bt the weather looks too good so might go for a ride.

3 November 2006
Biking helps cut down on sick days

Efforts to make the city of Odense more bike-friendly are showing results - fewer people are calling in sick
Odense Cycle City, an ongoing, multi-million kroner effort to improve conditions for bicycle commuters, is proving to be a good investment.
Begun in 1999, project initiatives include improved bike paths, free air pumps set up around the city, and a website where commuters can do everything from finding a new bike to warning each other about potholes.
The programme cost the city DKK 20 million (EUR 2.68 million) and has transformed Odense into one of Denmark's most bike friendly cities, increasing the number of two-wheeled commuters in the city of 186,000 by an estimated 25,000 per day.
Additional statistics showing that car ownership has increased at a slower pace in Odense than in the rest of Denmark may have city fathers seeing green, but their efforts also have a financial benefit - active citizens are low-cost citizens.
Odense estimates that over the past four years, a decrease in the number of sick days has saved DKK 33 million (EUR 4.4 million) in health service costs and unemployment benefits.
Thanks to biking, say project leaders, Odense residents have fewer broken bones and fewer tumours than average.
'We have a lower death rate in Odense. People are living longer and we know that illnesses related to physical inactivity have fallen,' said Troels Andersen, the head of the Odense Cycle City programme.
The Copenhagen Post

US mid-term elections - lessons for Australian politics?

At the risk of antagonising the 'stick to Council issues' eCouncillor readers I will delve slightly on tonight's US election results. It is difficult to compare US results with any lessons for Australia particularly given the nature of politics under the USA non-compulsory voting system. An interesting release from Log Cabin Republicans (Gay and Lesbian Republicans, their friends, families and supporters) below. Was it Iraq or social conservatism that turned the result? Will Australia's major political parties under the growing influence of the religious conservatives heed the warning from the LCR? Inner city residents continue to raise these issues with their Councillors.

"The social extremists have taken our Party off track. They're largely to blame for what happened in this election. They should step out of the way and let mainstream Republicans bring our Party back to its core principles. That's how we'll win again." LCR


News ReleaseFor Immediate Release
November 7, 2006

Log Cabin Republicans Blast Social Conservatives for Causing Defeat in House

GOP House Leaders Lost Sight of What Brought our Party to Power
(Washington, DC)—"Republicans lost this election because independent voters abandoned the GOP," said Log Cabin Executive Vice President Patrick Sammon. "Social conservatives drove the GOP's agenda the last several years. Their divisive agenda alienated the mainstream Republicans and independents who determined this election's outcome. Social conservatives should take responsibility for this loss."
"Democrats didn't win because of anything they stood for. They won because of Republican mistakes," said Sammon. "GOP leaders lost sight of what brought our Party to power in 1994. Limited government, lower spending, high ethical standards and accountability, and other unifying GOP principles attracted a broad coalition of support including fiscal conservatives, social conservatives, mainstream Republicans, libertarians, and independents. Now we've lost the U.S. House because Party leaders turned their backs on the GOP's core principles and catered only to social conservatives."
"Our Party's Congressional leaders drove over the bridge to nowhere and left their principles behind," said Sammon. "The Republicans lost touch with the issues that matter to mainstream voters. The American people lost confidence in the GOP's ability to govern because of misplaced priorities and ethical scandals. The Party should've focused on core kitchen table issues that impact voters' lives. Instead of cutting spending, cleaning up lobbying rules, reforming immigration laws, or balancing the budget, GOP leaders catered to the fringe on wedge issues such as the anti-marriage amendment and the Terri Schiavo case," said Sammon.
A failure to articulate a clear policy on the Iraq war was also a major factor in this defeat. And the ethical problems of some Congressmen caused voters to turn on the GOP. "These results show us that character counts. Our Party must nominate candidates who have the integrity worthy of their office," said Sammon.
Log Cabin Republicans across America worked hard to elect inclusive GOP candidates to all levels of government. Our members donated their time, talent, and financial resources to support inclusive Republicans. "Log Cabin congratulates our allies who won their elections, including Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA), Gov. Jodi Rell (R-CT), Gov. Linda Lingle (R-HI), and Congresswoman Deborah Pryce (R-OH). Unfortunately, an anti-GOP mood swept out some good mainstream Republicans such as Lincoln Chafee (R-RI), Nancy Johnson (R-CT), and Charlie Bass (R-NH).
"Log Cabin is more committed than ever to helping bring our Party back to power in Congress," said Sammon. "The social extremists have taken our Party off track. They're largely to blame for what happened in this election. They should step out of the way and let mainstream Republicans bring our Party back to its core principles. That's how we'll win again."
"A strategy that caters solely to a narrow group may win one election, but it won't create a permanent majority. The GOP spent the last several years catering to social extremists. But social conservative leaders will always bully and threaten instead of working for the Party's future," said Sammon. "They're an unreliable foundation who can't be trusted for long term support."
Visit the web address below to tell your friends about this. Tell-a-friend!
If you received this message from a friend, you can sign up for Log Cabin Republicans.

and further the re-election of Governor Schwarzenegger

Log Cabin Congratulate Governor Schwarzenegger on Resounding Election Victory

Governor’s Victory Shows the Power of Inclusion

(Sacramento, CA) – “Log Cabin congratulates Governor Schwarzenegger for his re-election victory,” said Jeff Bissiri, Log Cabin’s California Director. “The Governor has reached out to all Californians including the gay and lesbian community. The Governor’s inclusive leadership is a model for other Republicans around the nation. His re-election shows that inclusion wins,” said Bissiri.

On a night when the national Republican Party suffered many defeats, Schwarzenegger’s victory shows that mainstream inclusive politics is a winning strategy. “The Governor’s agenda should be a model for other Republicans around the nation,” said Log Cabin Executive Vice President Patrick Sammon. “Schwarzenegger won this race by pursuing a positive common sense agenda that appealed to both conservatives and mainstream voters.”

Since taking office in 2003, Governor Schwarzenegger has signed over 20 bills supportive of the gay and lesbian community including expansion of domestic partnership rights, hate crimes protection, housing and employment non-discrimination laws, improving HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment strategies, and ending the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy in the state militia. The Governor has spoken out publicly against the anti-family Federal Marriage Amendment and has been one of the nation's leading voices advocating for a "Big Tent" Republican Party.

“Log Cabin proudly endorsed Governor Schwarzenegger. Many of our members across the state volunteered on his campaign and provided important financial support for him. We look forward to continuing our support for his efforts to bring people together and build an even brighter future for the state of California,” said Bissiri.

On June 29, 2006, Governor Schwarzenegger was guest of honor at an event to support the work of Log Cabin. He made history as the first Republican governor in California to speak to the gay and lesbian community. In a rousing speech, Schwarzenegger declared that he was "committed to being a Governor for all Californians" and was "proud to stand side by side with Log Cabin in their work to offer basic fairness for gay and lesbian citizens." He went on to say, "A person should only be limited by his dreams and not by his background, and not by his heritage and not by his sexual orientation...We are united in the values of love, tolerance, and understanding? working together we can create a better future for California where everybody matters and every family counts."

Dealing with bicycle congestion - not Sydney

Copenhagen the 'City of Cyclists' with 33% of daily commuter trips to the CBD on bicycle - compared to 2% in Sydney (our bicycle plan aims to increase that to 10% by 2016). Copenhagen's cycling planners deal with challenges that do not confront Sydney's transport planners - yet. When eCouncillor visited Copenhagen Town Hall for a day and cycled around the city with the planners including Troels Andersen as they pointed out their difficulties including bicycle congestion at intersections, parking and balancing the right of way at key intersections. The congestion problem was causing the Council to widen major cycle lanes on some of Europes busiest bicycle lanes. In addition new lights separating out bicycle movements from other cars at intersection are installed in most locations. News today (below) that new 'green wave lanes' are being installed to assist with the smooth flow of bikes. 'Waves' have been trialed on Odense and were very successful. Sydney's not ready for them yes but maybe in 2020.

Cyclists riding a green wave A string of synchronised green lights promises to cut travel times on one of Europe's busiest bike lanes
Cyclists travelling along one of Copenhagen's most congested thoroughfares can now say goodbye to red lights and the stop-and-go of rush hour traffic. City officials unveiled the first 'green wave' lane for bikes in the Nørrebro neighbourhood Wednesday.
The green wave bike line times eleven traffic lights to match bicyclists average speed. Travel times on the 2.5 km stretch are expected to be reduced by three minutes.
Reducing travel time makes sense, according to civil engineer Troels Andersen, but the psychological effect of not constantly seeing red is even more important.
'If cyclists have to stop at every traffic light, they get fed up and feel unappreciated. In the worst case, they make the switch to cars,' he told daily newspaper dato.
A 'green wave' sign with a cyclist logo helps direct two-wheeled commuters from side streets to their express lane.
As morning traffic streams into the city, the green wave flows toward central Copenhagen. From noon until 6pm, the wave shifts directions and gives cyclists a speedy exit out.
Some 30,000 cyclists are expected to benefit from the system every day. Klaus Bondam, deputy mayor for environmental affairs, hopes the path will cement the Copenhagen as the world capital of commuter cycling.
'Copenhagen is going to be the world's best cycling city. And Nørrebrogade is probably one Europe's busiest bike lanes,' said Bondam.
The new lane requires cyclists to adjust their biking habits, however, according to Harry Lahrmann, a traffic researcher at Aalborg University.
'In order for a green wave to work, cyclists will have to ride at basically the same speed as everyone else. That's probably more difficult than for cars. A number of cyclists race ahead at 25 km per hour, so they won't get much out of the lane.'
Motorists, meanwhile, will have to grow used to the sight of cyclists overtaking them in rush hour traffic.
The Copenhagen Post

Sartor - Lord Mayor of NSW

The ALP Minister for building personal empires - Frank Sartor (Planning actually) has been kicking down planning doors and community consultation processes all over NSW and seizing development projects from local government. Using unprecedented 'Section 3A' powers to remove planning decisions from democratically elected Councils and their democratically adopted and implemented planning codes (LEP's and DCP's) he has transferred the power over dozens of sites and projects worth millions to his in tray. In the City of Sydney eCouncillor readers will remember that he intervened to take the CUB site in Chippendale from the Council and in so doing served notice on his own CSPC planning hybrid that sits like a cuckoo in Council's nest. More on the CSPC soon with mooted changes to the City of Sydney Act. to increase the power of Frank's puppet Council.

Why is Frank pulling the wings off Council butterflies and trashing the landmark EP&A Act? Well we know his view on Councillors in that famously recorded conversation 'pissants'. After coming up through the ranks as a 'community independent' (som,thing I like to remind Clover and her team of) he quickly recognised the limitation of that career path and jumped in bed with the ALP - much to the horror of many ALP rank and file who had come to loath his arrogant approach as Lord Mayor. In return for his lifetime public funded pension as an ALP Minister, Frank had to deliver - he has had to push development in the state to stop the economy from sliding further behind the rest of Australia and even going into a state recession. When he seized the CUB site and its potential 3000 apartments eCouncillor predicted a hard hat and plans media pic op before the March 07 state election. 'Frank getting on with the job' or similar. It's been 3 months now and no obvious progress for all the hot air that Council (read Frank's CSPC) had been taking too long!

Elizabeth Farrelly in today's SMH in her usual frank (no pun) and inimitable style takes 3A to task. Reproduced below because it's worth reading:


3A projects add a new dimension to rules

Elizabeth Farrelly October 25, 2006

THE real problem with the arrogance that typically afflicts our upper echelons is not that it's offensive and tedious - which it is - but that it quickly becomes a learning disability, condemning sufferers to repeat their mistakes ad nauseam. That's if you weren't sick the first time.
Not surprisingly, the symptom is most marked in those who cocoon themselves with legions of head-patters, back-scratchers and toe rags. This makes Macquarie Street a hot spot. And sure, there are medics on hand. But they need your support, too. Not just your votes and taxes; they need your sympathy and understanding.
Which may be why they've bothered to mount the microscopic exhibition on the development formerly known as East Darling Harbour. You can visit or read the propaganda on the net.
But to fix your eyes on the substance of the 400-odd page document, since there's no takeout copy, it's back to the 54 slow-loading PDF files lined up like Daleks on the departmental website.
East Darling Harbour, or Barangaroo if you want its new moniker, is one of more than 70 projects in the metropolitan area - with as many again in the rest of the state - to be called in to the minister in the new planning legislation's first year.
Officially, some are "state significant" or "critical infrastructure". Others are merely "major projects". Colloquially, however, they're all known as "3A projects", after the part of the act under which they are arraigned; the part that gives the minister unprecedented discretion.
Because the economy's problem, as you know, is not that we spent two euphoric weeks peeing a gazillion up against the Olympics wall and are now in the decade of paying for it. The problem is that councils have consulted too wide and long with their constituents, impeding important development projects, starving the coffers and shrinking the economy.
So the Government was forced to add part 3A to the Planning Act "to facilitate infrastructure and other planning reform; and for other purposes".
At the time, no one took much notice. Since then, though, as developers crawl on broken glass to have projects 3A-listed and community after community has been stonewalled or sidelined, the rumblings have grown.
Quite properly, 3A projects include coalmines and wind-farms, road tunnels and rail terminals, hospitals and power stations. They also include cash oozing behemoths such as the Foster's site on Broadway and East Darling Harbour.

As well, hidden among 3A's smoke and mirrors are a number of lesser projects whose statewide significance isn't immediately obvious: the low-rise residential Pemulwuy Project on The Block in Redfern, which the minister has vocally opposed; the Government's development of the old Redfern school, which he presumably supports; a two-storey, six-unit building by Rose Corp at Canada Bay; a huge development, also by Rose Corp and refused by both council and court, on ecologically sensitive land at the coastal mining town of Catherine Hill Bay; the reviled Coca-Cola warehouse in Northmead; the 11-storey St Vinnie's Caritas residential development in Darlinghurst; the new law building at Sydney University; the Global Switch building in Ultimo; the Australian Film TV and Radio School building at Fox Studios; and the proposed lime and cement terminal at White Bay.
Less "infrastructure and planning reform", more "other purposes".
Which, of course, is where the arrogance comes in. Fast-tracking in NSW has left a trail of white-elephant skeletons, such as Darling Harbour and the airport rail link, but does the Government learn? No way.
The act gives the minister immense discretion about not just content, but publishing his criteria, or even his decision. At the same time it suspends, for the occasion, virtually all other planning legislation - conservation, heritage, bushfire, fisheries, coastal management and threatened species - and leaves the public with severely curtailed rights of appeal.
No wonder this is a club every developer in town wants to be in.
Less apparent, but no less significant, is the new 3A Alliance, a collection of disaffected and disenfranchised community groups. It's the first sign that planning in NSW may get muscular yet.
High on the 3A projects list is, of course, East Darling Harbour - renamed Barangaroo with the same cynicism that saw Harry Triguboff deliver his anti-tree rant with an Aboriginal painting as backdrop. After announcing the winning Hill Thalis Berkmeier competition scheme in March, the Government commissioned the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority to prepare a new East Darling Harbour Concept Plan.
It was always a gentle, polite kind of scheme. Now, with every soupcon of panache or personality (and virtually every mention of the architects) surgically removed, it recalls two sobering facts: that "concept plan" now means what you have when there is no concept; and that we still, as a culture, have huge difficulty shedding the suburban house-and-lawn mindset.
There's no commitment to any further consultation. Zero.
So while the blurb wishfully cites Bilbao, London's Southbank and Berlin's Potsdamer Platz as exemplars, it forgets that city-changing architecture needs flair, content and intense local flavour - plus, ideally, a Pritzker-winning architect.
A bit of warmed-over North Ryde office park, grown to 60 storeys, probably won't do it.
Elizabeth Farrelly writes on planning, architecture and aesthetics for the Herald.

Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Hungarian Uprising

eCouncillor was honoured to attended the Church service at St Mary's cathedral organised by the Australian Hungarian community to mark the 50th anniversary of the anti-Soviet popular uprising in Budapest. It was a very moving service conducted in the presence of community and civic leaders including the Governor of NSW, the Hungarian ambassador to Australia and the HOn. Don Harwin MLC. An amazing choir of 60 people traveled to Australia to sing at the service.

The uprising (a decade before eCouncillor was born) was the brief flowering of democracy that was brutally crushed by a Soviet invasion. 33 years later the one party communists state would be dismantled in 1989. Australia was to benefit from the exodus of the intelligentsia escaping retribution and oppression under the communist return in 1956. One such refugee was the family of former Liberal Premier and business leader Nick Greiner AO.

Sadly the celebrations overnight in Budapest were not as united as Sydney's church service including the extraordinary scene when radical protesters seized a museum piece soviet era tank in the picture below.

Hungary police tackle protesters

Hungarian police faced protesters in a Soviet-era tank Hungarian police are tackling the remnants of a group of violent protesters who disrupted celebrations marking the 1956 anti-Soviet uprising.
Tear gas and rubber bullets were used to quell anti-government protests in Budapest, where officials laid flowers to mark the uprising 50 years ago.
Some protesters commandeered a tank taken from an uprising exhibition. Read more at BBC here

Wild Kids - the far side of Council

Someone called Jake McPherson [jakemcpherson4456@hotmail.com] has taken the time to research my family name and send me this explanation via emails from the Australian Museum web site. He seems to think it's funny and so do I. Each day when I am called 'Duck' from preschool to today I think 'if only I had a dollar ...' . It's the name that has stuck and I'm quite fond of it. A former mayor used to refer to me as Councillor Fluffy Duck that inevitably was shortened to 'fluffy' to the confused looks of friends over post Council dinner. I even have a pretty good quality carved wooden hand painted Mallard in my Town Hall office on the shelf watching over me. Thanks Jake - it goes to show that not all correspondence is about parking police or garbage bins!


Wild kids


Mallards were introduced into Australia from the Northern Hemisphere and have been breeding with our native Pacific Black Duck.

Common name: Mallard Scientific name: Anas platyrhynchos Photo: A. Skates




Mallard

Mallards are ducks that live near ponds, lakes and dams on urban and rural land in south-eastern Australia. The males have a green head, yellow beak and chestnut coloured breast. The females are brown all over. They both have flat beaks with thin plates to sieve food particles out of the water. They have feet with three webbed toes and one very small back toe.
Mallards call with a loud quack.


This is a male Mallard swimming with some ducklings.

Mallards look for small plants and animals in the water. They use their beak to feel around in the muddy bottom of ponds, lakes and dams for food. On land they look for seeds, flowers, food scraps and insects in the morning and late afternoon.


Mallards make nests from a scrape on the ground lined with a small amount of grass. The female lays eight to twelve glossy, light green eggs that she sits on for 26 to 28 days. When the eggs hatch the ducklings are covered in soft down. They follow their parents to water within a day of hatching and can swim as soon as they reach water. The ducklings can feed themselves shortly after hatching and have feathers and are ready to fly in seven to eight weeks.

Copyright © Australian Museum, 2003

Front page debate for Liberal Women

Federal Liberal Party President and a well known local Liberal party member, Chris McDiven has caused a stir in Canberra with her front page comments in today's Australian comparing Labor's first wives club to the Liberal party's successful election of female parliamentarians based only on merit. Read about it below. Chris and eCouncillor have traveled parallel political paths since the early 90's when Chris was President of the NSW Women's Council and I was President of the NSW Young Liberal Council. Subsequently Chris had several terms as the NSW State President and then to the Federal Presidency. Each position fought for in democratic ballots and won on hard work and merit. Chris has ruled out a parliamentary career after the repeated urgings of her supporters including eCouncillor.



The Australian

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20566215-2702,00.html


Top Lib mocks Labor's ex-wives club
Dennis Shanahan, Political editor
October 12, 2006

THE Liberal Party's first lady has taken a swipe at the Labor Party sisterhood, branding it an ex-wives' club that had got ahead by connections and embarrassing quotas.
The Liberal Party's federal president, Chris McDiven, has pulled no punches in her assessment of female Labor MPs as she prepares to celebrate Liberal women in cabinet.
"If you look at our women, they represent a wide selection of careers, career paths into parliament and a wide diversity of backgrounds, whereas if you look at the Labor women, you'll find that nearly everyone has got there through their family connections - they're 'wives of', 'ex-wives of', 'daughters of', 'sisters of'. It is an interesting comparison," Ms McDiven told The Australian yesterday.
Ms McDiven stepped into the media spotlight yesterday for the first time since she was elected 16 months ago as the Liberal Party's first female federal president.
A confessed "backroom girl" who has not sought election to parliament herself, the 58-year-old mother of two, former teacher, small businesswoman and investment manager also took pity on her ALP counterpart, NSW state MP Linda Burney, who is guaranteed a term as ALP president because of affirmative action.
Ms Burney ran last in the current four-way ALP presidency race - well behind former Labor leader Simon Crean - but will be given a turn as ALP president in 2009 while Mr Crean misses out.
"Personally I feel a bit sorry for Linda Burney," Ms McDiven said at the Liberal Party headquarters yesterday. "I feel much prouder that I have managed to get to this position on my merit. She's getting there, unfortunately for her, as a number on affirmative action. I don't think that will help her in the long term."
Ms McDiven, who ran a program training women candidates that is credited with doubling the number of women Liberal MPs at the 1996 election, said the Liberal way was to be elected on merit without quotas.
"Personally, if I had got myself into parliament because I was a 'number' I would not be completely satisfied with that," she said.
"I would like to think I got there on merit. Our women can hold their heads up and say they got there completely on merit."
Ms McDiven said many Labor MPs got into parliament on the back of family or marital connections but the Liberal Party was trying to encourage women to come forward and be elected on merit.
"When we set up the training program I learnt then that we had to go and find women; women tend not to put themselves forward," she said.
"We are seriously looking for women with talent to put themselves forward.
"I have spoken to Republican women in the US and the Conservative Party in the UK, they all say the same thing, men tend to put themselves forward."
Ms McDiven said she "got a buzz" when Julie Bishop was appointed as the first female Liberal cabinet minister from the House of Representatives and took pride in the record three women who were now in cabinet.
She said energetic new NSW senator Connie Fierravanti-Wells came through the Liberal program.
Ms McDiven said she did not believe gender had played a part in the contretemps in NSW over the state preselection battle for the high-profile Pru Goward.
She believed geographic reasons were important because the seat Ms Goward was now standing in, near Yass, was closer to where she lived.
Ms McDiven is attending a gala dinner tonight in Canberra to celebrate the record number of women in the Coalition cabinet.

Park the car and pedal

More from the City of Cyclists. Go to the link detailing Copenhagen's love affair with cycling and down load the great short film directed by my friend Michael Thomas.

Park it and pedal

A new concept uses rent-a-cycles to solve city commuters' parking problems
A car park firm has come up with an answer to Copenhagen's inner city parking problems, using the nation's cycling tradition as the solution's vehicle.
ParkCity, owner of Denmark's largest car park, has developed a concept called Park & Pedal, which hopes to put the city's less-congested car parks to good use.
'The concept is that drivers can park their cars in our lot at Israels Place, and then have a bicycle there reserved for them for an extra 100 per month,' said Frank Nielsen, ParkCity's manager.
Park & Pedal allows the customer to keep the cycle as long as he or she likes, and they can return it when picking up their car again.
Nielsen said that there are many open parking spots at the underground lots, but that some lie too far away from a person's workplace.
'If you park the car and still have a ways to go to work, you can just as well bike instead of walking or being a victim of the Metro's repeated delays. Bicycles are and will be the quickest, most flexible and, not least, most environmentally friendly means of transport in a big city like Copenhagen,' said Nielsen.
The new concept is only a week old, but is already becoming popular.
'For me it's the perfect solution,' said ParkCity customer Michael Lagoni. 'I live 40 to 50 kilometres away, and it nicely fits my needs that I can cycle the last bit from the car park to work.'
The Copenhagen Post

Clover Moore's glass jaw

This week's Council meeting has again highlighted the recurring flaw in Clover Moore's leadership style. eCouncillor readers will recall that the annual election of committee chairs, CSPC members (2) and the Deputy Lord Mayor as the ONLY time that the 10 Councilors each have an equal vote - that's real democracy. There is no casting or second vote for the Lord Mayor in the election process in stark comparison to her nightly exercise of her casting or second vote (arguably an undemocratic power) each time she can not get her way at the Council meeting.

Last year the Moore party lost the Deputy Lord Mayoral position to Labor's Councilor Verity Firth in a 5 all tied vote and a subsequent 'draw from the hat' (or wooden barrel actually) between Firth and Moore's candidate John McInerney. Fearing that she could not guarantee her people into the plush elected positions chairing the various Council committee (Finance, Planning, Cultural etc) Moore moved a sudden resolution to abolish the chair positions by seizing control of them for herself. This was reported by the Sydney Morning Herald as a sign of her inability to handle criticism (see below).

SMH September 2005
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/moore-and-more/2005/09/16/1126750129200.html
Moore and more
September 17, 2005
Clover Moore's grip on the controls of the city just got tighter, so be careful not to get in her way, warn her colleagues. Tim Dick reports.

Some people thrive on criticism. Some are broken by it. Some just don't tolerate it - from friend or foe - and are prepared to cop the consequences of not hearing it.
This week, Sydney's Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, discovered the ramifications of what her opponents say are the main irritants of her mayoralty: over-sensitivity, exclusion and taking credit for everything the council does, her idea or not.
Her deputy, the planning expert John McInerney, was dumped from office after the Greens councillor Chris Harris withdrew his support. Without it, McInerney lost by lot, a blind draw from a wooden box, prompting Moore to use a procedural rule to seize all seven of the council's committee chairmanships.
After being criticised for wanting two jobs, member of Parliament and mayor, she now has 10, including chairing the Central Sydney Planning Committee, a government-controlled body which approves major development.
Harris and Moore, a community independent with a decidedly green tinge, should be firm bedfellows. But, after Moore's promise last year to work co-operatively and constructively with other Councilors, things have soured.

On Monday night Moore took her autocratic and undemocratic leadership style one step too far moving to in effect abolish the position of Deputy Lord Mayor since she could not accept a 50:50 democratic chance on the outcome. Opposition Councillors smelt a rat early on in the unprecedented reversal in the order of the elections with Council electing the Chair of Traffic Committee before dealing with the Deputy Lord Mayoral position. (see Election of Office Bearers for 2006/07 below)
http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/Council/MeetingsAndCommittees/2006/Council/180906.asp

Opposition Councillors still contest the remnant Deputy Chairs of Committees that were ironically all won by Moore loyalists via a draw from the hat. But when Clover Moore pounced with a motion to not elect a Deputy Lord Mayor of Sydney the opposition Councillors were outraged. We may have let her seize control of Committee chairmanships last year with a loud grumble and again this year but to abolish a position that is as old as the Council itself and that exists in all other Councils across Australia was going too far. In riding rough shod over the democratic election of the deputy position by the Councillors, Clover Moore and her advisors had taken their arrogance in power one step too far. How on earth they did not foresee our genuine outrage is very hard to comprehend. One after the other the 5 opposition Councillors rose in anger speaking out in outrage against the insult to the Council and the people of Sydney. Moore party Councillors rubbed their hands together claiming the position was redundant and an historical anomaly! It wasn't when Councilor McInerney held onto it for the first 15 months nor when he ran last year to be defeated by Firth.

In speaking on a point of order against the proposal to abolish the post I made the point that it was not as though a non Moore party Deputy Lord Mayor had been a fly in the ointment for Clover Moore and the City. In fact Labor's Councilor Firth had proved herself a co-operative and an effective Deputy and generally sang from the same song sheet as Moore. But this was different - this was not going to be one of the sisterhood, it was Greens Councilor Chris Harris, her opponent in Bligh/Sydney seat at the coming election and the 'Judas' of her Lord Mayoralty (her description). Harris has been running an effective gorilla (no pun intended there Chris - should be guerilla) campaign against Moore in her electorate and she feared his win would elevate his campaign status even further as well as quadruple his resources. I can see her concern with her double salaries and more the 1700 staff compared to Harris' 4 staff and $27,000 as a Councilor. With the two jobs (Lord Mayor and MP) issue still biting in the thoughts of the electorate, Harris' election to DLM would further erode her greenish voter base.

The opposition Councillors exercised their only other real power and walked out of the meeting to deny Moore a quorum and force her to conduct a democratic ballot. Moore seemed genuinely stunned as we left the Council chamber filing past an applauding and angry public gallery. The Local Government Act gives Council 30 minutes to reconvene. Failing to do so the chair sets a new date and time to continue the meeting. 15 minutes into our protest the Moore party Councilor Robyn Kemmis (who we elected earlier unopposed as the Deputy Chair of Finance Committee) called down to the opposition offices requesting our return and announcing that Clover Moore was withdrawing her motion to abolish the position of Deputy Lord Mayor. We returned and after a typical spin laced lecture from Moore we proceeded to the ballot. The draw from the hat delivered Councilor Chris Harris. That's karma for you Clover!!

In other related news - I was elected unopposed and unanimously to the powerful Central Sydney Planning Committee (details below) having forced my way onto the CSPC last year against Moore's wishes and using the draw from the hat method it seems I have earnt my place there. That goes to show that Moore's paranoia about sharing power says more about her psychology than the reality.

Election of CSPC Members
http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/Council/documents/meetings/2006/Council/180906/18-09-06_COUNCIL_ITEM4.1.pdf
ITEM 4.1 CENTRAL SYDNEY PLANNING COMMITTEE - ELECTION OF MEMBERS
FILE NO: S031913
MEMORANDUM BY THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
To Council:
The Central Sydney Planning Committee (CSPC) is constituted by the City of Sydney Act 1988.
Section 34(1) of the Act provides that the Committee shall consist of seven members:
(a) the Lord Mayor of Sydney;
(b) a senior government employee with architectural experience nominated by the Minister administering the Public Works Act 1912;
(c) 2 Councillors of the City of Sydney elected by the City Council;
(d) the Director of Planning under the Planning Act; and
(e) 2 persons appointed by the Minister administering Part 4 of the Planning Act.
The person appointed pursuant to Clause (b) is Mr Peter Mould, NSW Government Architect, Department of Commerce.
The two persons appointed by the Minister pursuant to clause (e) are Ms Antoinette le Marchant and Mr Neil Bird.
Previously, the Council has chosen to hold a separate election for each of the two positions and the elections were by open, exhaustive voting.
At the Council meeting of 12 September 2005, Council elected Councilor John McInerney and Councilor Shayne Mallard to the two positions on the CSPC for terms ending on 30 September 2006.

In the following day's media Moore's spin city was decrying the undemocratic 'draw from the hat' and making the extraordinary claim that she should be able to appoint who she wants as deputy because that method is MORE democratic. Get that logic? it seemed Ok when she is winning the positions. But with 43% of the primary vote at the Council election there is a case to be made that the leadership of the Council should be more proportional. Clover Moore's constant use of a second or casting vote dozens of times to ram through her party's agenda could also be described as undemocratic using her logic.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/deputy-draw-creates-problem-for-moore/2006/09/18/1158431650398.html
Deputy draw creates problem for Moore
Bellinda KontominasSeptember 19, 2006
CLOVER MOORE'S hopes of choosing her deputy as Lord Mayor of Sydney have been dashed after a dramatic walk-out at a council meeting last night.
All but the independent Councilors walked out in protest over Ms Moore's decision not draw the deputy's name out of a hat, but they were soon called back in and the name of the Greens councillor Chris Harris was drawn.
Under the Local Government Act a council may elect a deputy mayor but is not required to. Cr Moore said the State Government should change the law.
"It is ridiculous in this day and age that Sydney's deputy lord mayor needs to be appointed through a draw from a hat." The appointment of Cr Harris, who has said he will stand for Cr Moore's state seat in March, is a serious blow to her.
She said backroom deals had been done by Labor, the Liberals and the Greens to place in the role someone more concerned with state politics than the council.
She said it could subvert her work for the city. "I don't think [this process] is the proper use of public money.
"Relying on the luck of the draw is undemocratic and until the State Government sees fit to amend the legislation I will continue to delegate duties to Councilors based on their skill, interest and availability."
Cr Moore, who has been criticised for her autocratic management style, said it was her right as Lord Mayor to choose her deputy.
"I describe my style as inclusive and non-adversarial. I'm here to serve the city and I expect all parties to do the same," she said. Cr Harris could not be reached for comment last night.

The name-from-a-hat option is as old as democracy itself. Probably older than the casting vote. Rather than undemocratic as Moore claims, it is believed to have evolved as a civilised way to resolve ballot ties as opposed to bribery or duels. In recent years the draw from a hat method has been proposed to resolve the ALP leadership ballot and it even has constitutional precedent in Victoria where, in a tied 1985 Victorian Upper House election, a returning officer drew the winner from a hat between two candidates.

In a footnote Clover Moore's outrageous actions and the spin her million dollar PR machine put on it have been seen through by many commentators and bloggers. Whilst the mainstream media handled the matter with kid gloves - no doubt finally anthesised by Clover Moore's outrageous advertising spend and huge spin budget- the internet remains beyond her manipulation.

Here's two good blog posts on the shenanigans.

http://kingscrosstimes.blogspot.com/

http://www.southsearepublic.org/story/2006/9/19/81435/9543


and all this deserves a revisit of the popular eCouncillor Queen Clover post.

http://ecouncillor.blogspot.com/2006/05/satirical-look-at-citys-administration.html

Cyclocity in Brussels - Sydney soon?

I received an email this morning from Steve Connor the CEO of JCDecaux Australia informing me of their exciting Cyclocity bicycle hire service launched during car free day in Brussels. I met Steve at the Cycling Promotion Fund 'Business of Cycling Breakfast' earlier this week. It was a great event with the broad range of cycling proponents in attendance including the head of bicycle Police unit, bike importers, retailers, sporting and tourist operators, health experts and government. Councillor John McInerney gave an address on the new City of Sydney draft bike plan www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au

As we roll out more cycling infrastructure across the City of Sydney it will be exciting to offer a bicycle hire service for residents, workers and tourists of this quality in Sydney.

Media Release below and read about Cyclocity here and images..



JCDecaux launches Cyclocity® in Brussels
on the city’s ‘car-free day’

Paris, September 18, 2006 – JCDecaux (Euronext Paris: DEC), the number
one outdoor advertising company in Europe and in the Asia-Pacific region,
and number two worldwide, yesterday launched Cyclocity® in Brussels on the
city’s annual ‘car-free day’. With 250 self-service bicycles available at
23 cycle racks, this innovative system is now up and running within the
pentagon of boulevards surrounding central Brussels.
Following Vienna (Austria), Cordoba and Gijon (Spain), Brussels becomes
the 4th city outside France to team up with JCDecaux, the world leader in selfservice
bicycle hire, and offer this pioneering form of individual public
transport.
In France, Cyclocity® (christened Vélo’v® by the greater Lyons area), has
enjoyed unprecedented success since its début in Lyons in May 2005. The
system’s 60,000 subscribers – who hire bicycles up to 28,000 times per day –
have already covered 10 million kilometers in the space of 15 months,
averaging a daily total of 40,000 kilometers - equal to the circumference of
the Earth at the equator..
According to a BVA survey carried out in May 2006, Vélo’v® users are
extremely satisfied with the service, giving it an average score of 7.7 out of
10. Acting as veritable ambassadors for the service, they contribute to its
continued development through favourable word-of-mouth publicity. Indeed,
Vélo’v® enjoys a personal recommendation rate of almost 90%.
Brussels will now become a new showcase for Cyclocity for cities wanting to
adopt this new type of eco-friendly transport system.
Commenting on the launch of Cyclocity® in Brussels, Jean-Charles Decaux,
Chairman of the Executive Board and co-CEO of JCDecaux, said: “With
Cyclocity, JCDecaux is introducing its pioneering means of individual public
transport for the first time in Belgium. This is why we decided, in agreement
with the City of Brussels, to launch this system on the highly symbolic
occasion of ‘car-free day’..
“In line with the expectations currently expressed by cities and citizens in
terms of sustainable development, Cyclocity® forms an integral part of the
urban landscape as an eco-friendly answer to the problems of excessive car
use and pollution while simultaneously guaranteeing safety, comfort and ease
of use. With its development constantly driven by innovation, JCDecaux is
demonstrating once again, with Cyclocity®, its ability to offer local
communities new solutions capable of meeting the challenges confronting
them, notably in the area of environmental protection”.

Key Figures for the JCDecaux Group:
- 2005 revenues: €1,745.2m, first half 2006 revenues: €945.8M
- JCDecaux is listed on the Eurolist of the Euronext Paris stock exchange, and is part of
the Euronext 100 and FTSE4Good indices.
- N°1 worldwide in street furniture (318,000 advertising panels)
- N°1 worldwide in airport advertising with 153 airports and more than 300 transport
contracts in metros, buses, tramways and trains (207,000 advertising panels)
- N°1 in Europe for billboards (200,000 advertising panels)
- N°1 in outdoor advertising in China (79,000 advertising panels in 20 different cities)
- 725,000 advertising panels in 48 countries
- Present in over 3,400 cities with over 10,000 inhabitants
- 7,900 employees

Helmeted riders 'more likely to be hit'

Helmeted riders more likely to be hit by a car!!

By Tamara McLean, National Medical Writer
September 14, 2006 02:05pm
Article from: AAP

CYCLISTS who wear helmets for better protection on the road are ironically more at risk of being knocked down by cars, according to new research.
A study by a British traffic psychologist has found that drivers pass twice as close when overtaking cyclists wearing helmets than when overtaking their bare-headed counterparts.
Drivers shaved an average of 8.5cm off their passing distance when passing cyclists wearing helmets, increasing the risk of a collision.
"This study shows that when drivers overtake a cyclist, the margin for error they leave is affected by the cyclist's appearance," said Dr Ian Walker, from the University of Bath.
"By leaving the cyclist less room, drivers reduce the safety margin that cyclists need to deal with obstacles in the road, such as drain covers and potholes, as well as the margin for error in their own judgments."
The scientist used a bicycle fitted with a computer and an ultrasonic distance sensor to record data from over 2500 overtaking motorists in Salisbury and Bristol.
Dr Walker spent half the time wearing a cycle helmet and half without and was knocked down twice, by a bus and a truck, while helmeted.
He said while helmets had been proven to protect kids in low speed falls, it was questionable whether they offered any real protection to somebody struck by a car.
"Either way, this study suggests wearing a helmet might make a collision more likely in the first place," Dr Walker said.
He believed drivers perceive cyclists as an unfamiliar sub-culture of "lycra-clad street-warriors".
Riders wearing helmets were incorrectly viewed as very experienced and less likely to do something unexpected, which explains why drivers leave less space when passing.
To test another theory, Dr Walker donned a long wig to test whether there was any difference in passing distances when drivers thought they were overtaking a female cyclist.
He said drivers gave "her" an average of 14cm more space than for a man not wearing a helmet, probably because women riders were seen as more unpredictable.
The study, accepted for publication in the journal, Accident Analysis & Prevention, also found that buses and trucks passed considerably closer than cars.



There are some academics who argue that by removing the compulsion to wear helmets when riding bicycles the resultant increase in people taking up riding their bikes (particularly to work) would result in a net community health benefit through decreased obesity, heart disease, diabetes and mental health disorders after the additional head traumas are taken into account. Council's own research has shown that in the top 5 reasons why people do not ride a bicycle to work is the requirement to wear a helmet with some finding them 'unattractive' and others concerned about the impact upon their hair style. Of course safety was the first reason why people did not take up riding - a rather contradictory outcome. I do not know of any government that has reversed a road safety regulation.

Best justice that money can buy

Crikey.com.au makes a sharp point today on the relative inequality of our justice system, comparing Steve Vizard's case to the case of a young Aboriginal burglar caught doing over Vizard's Toorak mansion.

The inequality of Australian justice was on full display in Melbourne yesterday.

On one side of William Street, in a witness box inside the Supreme Court, a wealthy, handsomely-suited, prosperous-looking 50-year-old businessman was into his third day of refusing to answer questions about, among other things, his illicit share dealings. On the other side of the street, in the dock inside the County Court, a remorseful 21-year-old Aboriginal burglar with a history of drug addiction and 75 previous convictions was being sentenced to four years' jail after pleading guilty to 25 counts of theft and burglary.

Steve Vizard squirmed but, advised by a legal team that included two of Australia's most expensive QCs, he managed to avoid giving evidence that could expose him to prosecution for perjury or for trading shares while on the board of Australia's biggest company, Telstra -- offences for which he was tapped over the knuckles by ASIC, fined $390,000 and disqualified from being a company director for ten years.

In the courtroom over the road, Peter Clarke also squirmed. "I'm very, very sorry for the pain I have caused in committing these crimes," he told the judge -- crimes which included aggravated burglary and stealing six laptop computers from the Toorak mansion of Steve Vizard.

As Steve Vizard could affirm, if he was prepared to answer, Australian justice is still the best that money can buy.

Euro-style bike lanes plan for City

If it's good enough for Melbourne's cyclists then why not Sydney? As I have continually advocated for the 'Gateways' and Kent Street routes.

from the Sunday Age....

Coming this way: a Copenhagen cyclist passes a row of parked cars keeping him segregated from moving traffic.

Photo: Casual Cas

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/eurostyle-bike-lanes-plan-for-city/2006/09/02/1156817151269.html

Clay Lucas September 3, 2006

MELBOURNE is to get its first taste of European-style bike lanes that separate cyclists and car traffic by putting a parking lane between them.
The bike lanes, which will run along either side of Swanston Street from Melbourne University to RMIT, will cost more than $500,000.
If the trial is successful, VicRoads will consider rolling out more of the bike lanes across the city.
The new-style lanes will be two metres wide and 50 centimetres lower that the footpath.

Under the design, named the Copenhagen Treatment by planners because it is common in that city, existing numbers of parking spots will be kept but moved away from the footpath and towards the middle of the street.
Work on the scheme, aimed at reducing the number of cyclists being hit by cars on that stretch of road, is set to start at the end of the year.
The area has become a bicycle black spot, with six cyclists admitted to hospital after being knocked off their bikes in the past five years.
Under the City of Melbourne's cycling strategy released last week, installation of similar lanes on main cycling roads across the city is likely.
"This is the next stage of this city's bicycle lanes," said Harry Barber from Bicycle Victoria, which has worked closely with the council and VicRoads to get support for the new lanes.
"Drawing a line to mark out a bike lane came first, over the last decade. Then they started painting bicycle lanes green, as we're seeing all over town," Mr Barber said.

"Now they've reached the next stage: separating bikes and cars physically. Australians all have bikes, and they love riding them, but most are reluctant to ride in traffic. These lanes will mean they don't have to."

On average, 1000 cyclists a year are admitted to hospital after accidents. Some 200 end up in hospital after a collision with a car. On main cycling strips such as St Kilda Road, which has boomed as a cycling area since bike lanes were created in 1993, the number of cyclists in accidents with cars has stayed steady.