Oct 27 2019

Is Nottingham Council’s supply of cheap electricity to residents via its own “Robin Hood” style power company relevant to NSW September Council elections? – 12th August 2019

Randwick Greens Councillor Murray Matson thinks that a NSW Council seeking to emulate the UK’s Nottingham Council, which sells cheap electricity to residents, could seek status as a Local Renewable Energy Retailer from the Regional Development Australia Northern Inland (RDANI).

Councillor Matson said, Continue reading

Sep 26 2019

Rescission motion fails to prevent the adoption of the new Edgecumbe Estate Heritage Conservation Area in Coogee

A rescission motion from dissident Councillors against the setting up of a new heritage conservation area running contiguously from 37 Dudley Street to 152 Brook Street was voted down at Tuesday night’s extraordinary Randwick City Council meeting.

Police and Council rangers blocking demolition of a home in the proposed Edgecumbe Estate Conservation Area late 2018.

Late 2018 – Randwick Council Rangers call in the police to stop an attempted early morning strip out of one of the old Coogee homes in the then proposed Edgecumbe Estate Heritage Conservation Area.

The adopting of the new heritage protections has been championed by East Ward Greens Councillor Murray Matson and North Ward Greens Councillor Lindsay Shurey.

The struggle to protect the homes was often heated and involved not just rescission motions but court challenges, interim protection orders and the calling of police by Council rangers to stop an attempted demolition in late 2018.
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Sep 24 2019

Greens Councillor Philipa Veitch elected Deputy Mayor of Randwick City Council

Randwick City Council Mayoral election night 24-9-2019

Randwick City Council Mayoral Election 24th September 2019. Labor Councillor Danny Said elected Mayor with Greens Councillor Philipa Veitch of West Ward elected Deputy Mayor.

Randwick City Council has a new Mayor in Labor Councillor Danny with Greens Councillor Philipa Veitch taking out the Deputy Mayor position.

 
Councillor Veitch was only recently elected to Council in 2017 successfully winning back a seat in West Ward for the Greens. Since being elected she has raised her party’s profile in the ward by campaigning on local issues such as fighting to give a voice to residents impacted on by the construction of the CBD to South East Light Rail project.

Sep 19 2019

Climate Strike Sydney – Tomorrow our children call us out for the good of the damaged planet we bequest them

The local event for this world wide strike against global stupidity is on TOMORROW Friday 20th September from 12pm to 2pm in the Domain, Art Gallery Road, Sydney.

School Strike for Climate Action

At 12 noon students will strike for action on climate change. (image from ACF)

From 1.30pm, the rally will progress to Hyde Park north along Macquarie and Elizabeth streets.

Sep 17 2019

Greens Councillors Murray Matson and Lindsay Shurey: lively debate expected at Randwick Council meeting on proposal to create new Heritage Conservation Area in Coogee – 17th September 2019

UPDATE: 18th September 2019

Last night Randwick City Councillors voted to create the Edgecumbe Estate heritage conservation area in Coogee along Dudley and Brooks Streets and specifically identify a number of dwellings within the area as local heritage items.

After the meeting dissenting Councillors Anthony Andrews (independent), Alex Luxford (Labor) and Harry Stavrinos (Liberal) lodged a rescission motion. This will require the proposal to be debated again at the next Council meeting.

If this rescission motion is successful these Councillors have flagged that they will then  put the following motion . “That Council delete 148 Brook Street  Coogee from clause (a) and add a clause (c) that an independent peer review be commissioned in relation to 148 Brook Street Coogee.”

Coogee residents will recall that 148 Brook Street was the site of a contentious confrontation between residents and a work gang attempting to strip out the internal fittings of the building. Residents outraged as ceiling and carpets stripped out of Coogee dwelling being assessed for heritage protection by Randwick City Council – 8th December 2018
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Sep 16 2019

Randwick Councillor Philipa Veitch: Give a voice to the concerns West Ward residents and businesses have about flagged changes to Kingsford and Kensington bus routes when CSELR light rail starts – 16th Sept. 2019

UPDATE: 19th September 2019

Councillor Veitch’s motion was successful at the 16th of September 2019 Randwick City Council meeting with amendments  to extend the requested consultation to all bus services in the Council area.

302 Bus Route in West Kingsford and West Kensington

Councillor Philipa Veitch wants to give a voice to locals worried about how the 302 and 303 bus routes will change after the CSELR light rail starts.

RESOLUTION: That Council:

  1. Convene a public meeting and invite the local traffic committee to allow local residents and business owners to raise any concerns regarding proposed changes to bus routes in the South Eastern Suburbs and the LGA; and
  2. Request that the Minister for Transport, Andrew Constance:
    1. Consult with Council and residents regarding proposed changes to bus routes in the South Eastern Suburbs;
    2. Convene a meeting with RCC, residents and business owners to discuss concerns regarding:

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Sep 16 2019

Randwick Councillor Philipa Veitch – fights for noise and light relief for Doncaster Avenue and other Council residents impacted on by the CSELR and its Stabling Yard – 16th September 2019

UPDATE: 19th September 2019

Councillor Veitch’s motion seeking a fair deal for residents still being impact on by the construction of the light rail line through Kensington and Kingsford was successful at the 16th September 2019 Randwick City Council meeting .

The stabling yards of the CBD to South East Light Rail under construction in 2018.

Greens Councillor Philipa Veitch is continuing to lobby for residents of Doncaster Avenue where homes back on to the Stabling Yards of the CSELR (here pictured in 2018)

RESOLUTION: That Council:

  1. Acknowledges that many residents within the Randwick LGA continue to experience adverse impacts from the construction and testing of the CSELR, which has affected their health, well being, property and amenity;
  2. has resolved to support these residents and make requests to the Minister for Transport, Minister for Planning and other entities since September 2015;
  3. request that the Minister for Planning and Environment mandate the provision of reasonable and feasible noise mitigation in the form of air-conditioning and double glazing to affected residents in accordance with B5(l), B10, B(13) and B89b(xv) of the Infrastructure approval;
  4. request that the agreed planting of bamboo on the easement between Doncaster Ave properties and the acoustic wall be commenced as soon as practicable;
  5. request that visual screening blinds be offered to Doncaster Ave residents affected by light pollution from the stabling yard; and
  6. request that the Minister for Planning and Environment, the Minister for Transport, and a representative from the Environmental Protection Authority attend a meeting with RCC, residents and business owners to discuss their concerns.

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Greens MP Adam Bandt and former Liberal leader John Hewson call for Parliamentary vote on Climate Emergency declaration – 12th September 2019

UPDATE OF: Greenpeace Australia claims today the Australian Federal Parliament is about to vote on declaring a Climate Emergency – 11th September 2019

The email below was circulated by Federal Greens MP Adam Bandt today calling for Labor and the Liberals to join the Greens, former Liberal leader John Hewson and the federal parliamentary backbench in declaring a Climate Emergency.

Federal MP's John-Hewson, Zali Steggall, Adam Bandt and Andrew Wilkie call for declaration of Climate Emergency Sept 2019

Federal MP’s John-Hewson, Zali Steggall, Adam Bandt and Andrew Wilkie are calling for a declaration of Climate Emergency by the Australian Parliament.

I’m excited to share that our campaign calling on Parliament to declare a climate emergency has taken a massive step forward, with the crossbench joining today with former Liberal leader John Hewson to call on Parliament to declare a climate emergency.

Will you join our campaign asking for Parliament to declare a climate emergency? Now it’s up to Labor and Liberal to join us. We’re confident we can get this motion passed, but it’s up to all of us to make sure they hear the message loud and clear that they want Parliament to declare a climate emergency.

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Sep 11 2019

Greenpeace Australia claims today the Australian Federal Parliament is about to vote on declaring a Climate Emergency – 11th September 2019

BREAKING: Australian Parliament to vote on climate emergency.

Greenpeace Australia is claiming that the nations’ Federal Parliament is about to vote on declaring a Climate Emergency.

An extraordinary email is being sent around apparently from Greenpeace stating that Australia maybe preparing to declare a Climate Emergency.

Is it a hoax? Or is it real?

Sep 10 2019

Randwick Greens Councillors support the School Strike 4 Climate organised for September 20th 2019 in Sydney

On a motion from Greens Councillor Philipa Veitch Randwick City Council has voted to support the climate-emergency strike organised by students around the world including Sydney.

School Strike for Climate
Friday, Sept 20, 2019 – 12:00 PM
The Domain, St Marys Rd, Sydney
#ClimateStrike

Councillor Veitch urges the broader community to support their local students who choose to attend the strike.

“People all over the world will use their power to stop ‘business as usual’ in the face of the climate emergency. Concern about the unfolding climate crisis is particularly high among young people, who will be the ones living longest with the impact of climate policy being made now. Continue reading