Light rail is only going to make surface travel worse for CBD commuters in Sydney, particularly in the Eastern Suburbs. Heavy rail is the only solution for a modern city and electric driven buses should fill the network in between heavy rail hubs.
However if the NSW Government is not going to pay for heavy rail to the most densely populated areas of the Eastern suburbs and link Bondi Junction to the Airport via Randwick City then light rail will be an expensive bandaid fix.
If light rail is going to work it should adopt the following principles.
1. It should link heavy rail hubs with high population centres.
2. It should not run down major roads and cause traffic problems and safety issues
3. It should be for multipurpose use. i.e.) commuter use on weekdays and sporting and leisure use on weekends
Light rail routes should be thoroughly discussed by the community now and not after the NSW Government gets around to doing anything about it.
The Randwick City Comprehensive LEP and DCP are currently under review and now is the time for Council to consult and identify probable light rail corridors.
I strongly believe using my principles above that these routes should not travel along Anzac Parade from Kensington to the City but should flow East-West across the main traffic flow linking Green Square station to Randwick to the Racecourse, the University and the Hospital. Further South a second route should link Mascot station with Kingsford and Maroubra. This will feed the heavy rail network without creating more traffic issues on arterial roads in Eastern Sydney.
Friday, 1 July 2011
Monday, 27 June 2011
Malabar Headland Green Belt
Now is time for a full and frank debate on the future of Malabar Headland!
The Randwick City Council Open Space and Environment Discussion Paper only refers to the public use of the headland as "the proposed park within PART of the Malabar headland". There is no plan for a whole of headland park yet! We need to look at the holistic use of the 177 ha and the adjoining parks and beaches. A "Maroubra/Malabar green belt" is a concept that should be acknowledged in the current review of Randwick's new Comprehensive Randwick Local Environmental Plan and Development Control Plan
The Randwick City Council Open Space and Environment Discussion Paper only refers to the public use of the headland as "the proposed park within PART of the Malabar headland". There is no plan for a whole of headland park yet! We need to look at the holistic use of the 177 ha and the adjoining parks and beaches. A "Maroubra/Malabar green belt" is a concept that should be acknowledged in the current review of Randwick's new Comprehensive Randwick Local Environmental Plan and Development Control Plan
Tuesday, 14 June 2011
ESTABLISH A TRUST FOR MALABAR HEADLAND
Geoff Stevenson
Press Release
ESTABLISH A TRUST FOR MALABAR HEADLAND
Councillor Geoff Stevenson
Central Ward Councillor Randwick City Council
Labor Councillor Geoff Stevenson from Maroubra calls on the State and Federal Governments to immediately establish a Public Trust to deliver and manage the Malabar headland park.
Councillor Stevenson from Randwick Council also calls for the annexing of Maroubra Beach, Arthur Byrne Reserve, Pioneers Park, Cromwell Park and Malabar beach into the new Park Trust.
Councillor Stevenson believes Randwick Council should not be involved with the management of the Park but adopt the same approach as it does with Centennial Park, also within the Council area.
Councillor Stevenson says that the headland park will be the most significant recreational area added to Sydney in the foreseeable future and like Centennial Park will be used by all Sydneysiders not just locals in adjoining suburbs. “It’s too important an asset for the people of Sydney for it to be used as political football between local activists, Councillors and the State and Federal Governments.” Already there are groups fighting over who and how the land will be shared. The logical approach is to create a trust now and allow community and Government representatives to get on with the job.”
“The funding of the remediation of the land and return to public use should be jointly funded by the NSW and Federal Governments. This cost may run into hundreds of millions but if you had to put a price on Centennial Park in Randwick’s north as a comparison there would be no argument that users get wonderful value. Not only will the new Malabar headland park be bigger than Centennial Park but it will have a coastal walkway running through it from Sydney Harbour to Botany Bay that will make it an international tourist destination.” “I expect it will become the most frequented coastal park in Australia when it is finished” Councillor Stevenson said.
Press Release
ESTABLISH A TRUST FOR MALABAR HEADLAND
Councillor Geoff Stevenson
Central Ward Councillor Randwick City Council
Labor Councillor Geoff Stevenson from Maroubra calls on the State and Federal Governments to immediately establish a Public Trust to deliver and manage the Malabar headland park.
Councillor Stevenson from Randwick Council also calls for the annexing of Maroubra Beach, Arthur Byrne Reserve, Pioneers Park, Cromwell Park and Malabar beach into the new Park Trust.
Councillor Stevenson believes Randwick Council should not be involved with the management of the Park but adopt the same approach as it does with Centennial Park, also within the Council area.
Councillor Stevenson says that the headland park will be the most significant recreational area added to Sydney in the foreseeable future and like Centennial Park will be used by all Sydneysiders not just locals in adjoining suburbs. “It’s too important an asset for the people of Sydney for it to be used as political football between local activists, Councillors and the State and Federal Governments.” Already there are groups fighting over who and how the land will be shared. The logical approach is to create a trust now and allow community and Government representatives to get on with the job.”
“The funding of the remediation of the land and return to public use should be jointly funded by the NSW and Federal Governments. This cost may run into hundreds of millions but if you had to put a price on Centennial Park in Randwick’s north as a comparison there would be no argument that users get wonderful value. Not only will the new Malabar headland park be bigger than Centennial Park but it will have a coastal walkway running through it from Sydney Harbour to Botany Bay that will make it an international tourist destination.” “I expect it will become the most frequented coastal park in Australia when it is finished” Councillor Stevenson said.
Tuesday, 20 October 2009
Randwick Rates Increase
Displaying all 3 posts by Geoff Stevenson on Facebook October 2009
20 October 2009
Tonight at Randwick Council Labor tried to stop the Liberals and their new Mayor prepare their plan to slug ratepayers by introducing a 7% rate rise for 7 years to pay for $30 million worth of maintenance and construction. This comes on top of last years increase of 9.8% meaning Randwick rates have increased will by 16.8% in 2 years. See GM51/09 at http://businesspapers.randwick.nsw.gov.au/Open/2009/OC_20102009_AGN_AT.PDF
The new Mayor gagged debate on Labor’s motion and supported the Liberals’ Notley-Smith who proposed a convoluted in-principle amendment supported by the Mayor and the Greens to prepare for the 7% rate rise through a special rate variation rather than go to public consultation and look seriously at other options to the problem or for the under funded maintenance and construction of council buildings. Labor Councillor Geoff Stevenson proposed to ask the public what they wanted first before deciding on how to pay for it but this was dismissed by the Mayor without even a vote. That sort of gag on debate shows how the residents are likely to be treated in consultation before they get their $84 bill next year.
over a year ago ·
21 October 2009
A recission motion was filed the next day by Labor Councillors which reads as follows:
That:
a) an extensive community consultation process be undertaken to determine which options ratepayers and residents prefer for the funding of the proposed building program 2010-2017.
b) any in-principle decision to proceed to make a special rates variation application to fund and proposed building program be referred to a full council meeting with a full report on the options as determined in (a)
28 October 2009
Last night Randwick Labor tried to limit the excessive rates increase to fund the $32 million Building Program and exempt pensioners but the Liberals, independents (Andrews, Mathews, Mayor) and the Greens voted against it.
The Council will now apply to the Department of Local Government for an extra 2.69% per year cumulative increase (8.29% after 3 years) to fund the Buildings for our Community Program. To raise $32 million over 7 years the increase will be 2.69% on top of the maximum increase of around 3.5% allowed by the State Government for 3 years until it reaches 8.29% and then stay in the rates “forever”.
Confused? Some of the Liberals were (Belleli and Seng) but they still voted for it anyway.
Who was silent during the debate last night ? Liberal Notley-Smith and his puppet Mayor. The Mayor has made no media comment on this significant issue. He even instructed the Council’s General Manager to contact the media for him to argue the case for him. If the Mayor does run at the next election which is doubtful who will he get to explain to the residents and ratepayers why his term on council delivered the highest rates increase for Randwick on record.
Even after the $32 million is collected more and more will come back to the Council as the increase will stay in the base rate for years and years. Our financially successful Council will now be “in the money” for a number or years to come.
Only $9 million of this money will be spent in the current Council’s term, the rest in the next Council term, so if you want to vote the Council out to stop it, bad luck it will still go ahead.
Labor tried to limit the fund to the $9 million identified in the 2010 budget to be spent in the next 3 years only and to exempt all pensioners from the increase.
Let the Mayor explain why this is not reasonable, he was silent on the night.
20 October 2009
Tonight at Randwick Council Labor tried to stop the Liberals and their new Mayor prepare their plan to slug ratepayers by introducing a 7% rate rise for 7 years to pay for $30 million worth of maintenance and construction. This comes on top of last years increase of 9.8% meaning Randwick rates have increased will by 16.8% in 2 years. See GM51/09 at http://businesspapers.randwick.nsw.gov.au/Open/2009/OC_20102009_AGN_AT.PDF
The new Mayor gagged debate on Labor’s motion and supported the Liberals’ Notley-Smith who proposed a convoluted in-principle amendment supported by the Mayor and the Greens to prepare for the 7% rate rise through a special rate variation rather than go to public consultation and look seriously at other options to the problem or for the under funded maintenance and construction of council buildings. Labor Councillor Geoff Stevenson proposed to ask the public what they wanted first before deciding on how to pay for it but this was dismissed by the Mayor without even a vote. That sort of gag on debate shows how the residents are likely to be treated in consultation before they get their $84 bill next year.
over a year ago ·
21 October 2009
A recission motion was filed the next day by Labor Councillors which reads as follows:
That:
a) an extensive community consultation process be undertaken to determine which options ratepayers and residents prefer for the funding of the proposed building program 2010-2017.
b) any in-principle decision to proceed to make a special rates variation application to fund and proposed building program be referred to a full council meeting with a full report on the options as determined in (a)
28 October 2009
Last night Randwick Labor tried to limit the excessive rates increase to fund the $32 million Building Program and exempt pensioners but the Liberals, independents (Andrews, Mathews, Mayor) and the Greens voted against it.
The Council will now apply to the Department of Local Government for an extra 2.69% per year cumulative increase (8.29% after 3 years) to fund the Buildings for our Community Program. To raise $32 million over 7 years the increase will be 2.69% on top of the maximum increase of around 3.5% allowed by the State Government for 3 years until it reaches 8.29% and then stay in the rates “forever”.
Confused? Some of the Liberals were (Belleli and Seng) but they still voted for it anyway.
Who was silent during the debate last night ? Liberal Notley-Smith and his puppet Mayor. The Mayor has made no media comment on this significant issue. He even instructed the Council’s General Manager to contact the media for him to argue the case for him. If the Mayor does run at the next election which is doubtful who will he get to explain to the residents and ratepayers why his term on council delivered the highest rates increase for Randwick on record.
Even after the $32 million is collected more and more will come back to the Council as the increase will stay in the base rate for years and years. Our financially successful Council will now be “in the money” for a number or years to come.
Only $9 million of this money will be spent in the current Council’s term, the rest in the next Council term, so if you want to vote the Council out to stop it, bad luck it will still go ahead.
Labor tried to limit the fund to the $9 million identified in the 2010 budget to be spent in the next 3 years only and to exempt all pensioners from the increase.
Let the Mayor explain why this is not reasonable, he was silent on the night.
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