What Have I learnt?

A community that comes together can achieve great things.

Over the last three years I have, along with people in our community, found and then lead drives to:

Good government, at all levels, requires rational discussion of the facts leading to the adoption and implementation of well thought out policies.

The imperative is that our elected representatives focus on representing the electorate and not engage in warfare between themselves.

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North Shore Community Newsletter 15

  • Posted by Ian Mutton
  • On February 18, 2019

If we want to make our community a better place in which to live – we need to be...

  • Luna Park
 

Who Am I?

I’ve lived:

  • on the Lower North Shore for forty years;
  • since 2006, in Milsons Point

I’ve become increasingly frustrated by the ever-widening gulf between our community and those that represent us. A gulf that’s made the fight to protect and add to our community assets (Luna and Harry’s Parks, Wendy’s Secret Garden, and the Sydney Harbour High Line) a hard slog – it just should not be this way.

I reached the point – complaining about it needed to give way to doing something about it …

Why Did I Stand For State Government and North Sydney Council?

At the state level our representatives, with time, focus on the internal machinations of their party and disconnect from those that they represent.

  • The by-election was set for early April 2017. The decision to stand was taken four weeks out from the election. The message I took from receiving more than 9% of the vote was that a lot of people in our community felt ignored by main stream parties.

At the local government level North Sydney Council had become dysfunctional, a creature of factions.

A State Government Inquiry confirmed this.

  • The election was held in September 2017. The message I took from the by-election we reinforced by receiving more than 20% of votes cast in the ward – the message was more forcefully put was that people in our community are tired of being ignored.

What Next?

Whatever it takes to give our community a voice that is heard .

What Do I Stand For?

My Vision: Planning and Urban Growth

We are told that our population is to grow by nearly 40% over the next twenty years.

State Government and Council planners simply must look beyond the next election.

It’s not rocket science – consider, for example, what Dr John Bradfield achieved for NSW commuter transport in the first quarter of the last century by building most of the suburban train network.

It’s not smart for State Governments and Council:

  • To sit back and watch traffic volumes grow on Military Road and then express surprise when gridlock occurs;
  • To alter the required parking requirements from minimum car parking spaces to maximum car parking spaces and then wonder why developments have inadequate resident parking and residents are forced to park on the streets;
  • To think that decades of planning inaction and ineptitude can be solved by painting exotic lane markings and erecting complex road signs;
  • To claim accuracy in population forecasts and then be shocked when overcrowding occurs in the schools and race around erecting portable classrooms.
  • To ignore the axiom that open space is vitally important in the development and sustainability of communities

Matters that are directly or indirectly relevant to Wollstonecraft Ward

  • North Sydney Pool – rebuild.
  • Cliff Street (Harry’s Park) – complete it.
  • Luna Park:
    • require compliance with planning codes and
    • have the 1998 Plan of Management made prescriptive,
    • drive the release of 2016 ‘secret agreement’ between State Government and Luna Park (Multiplex).
  • Bradfield Park South. Investigate the development of underground tourist bus and car parking with park above which may be used for local school activities and community functions.
  • Harbour Bridge cycle way. Reintroduction of barriers for bicycles using western side of Harbour Bridge in order to reduce accidents caused to pedestrians.
  • Additional garbage bins at waterfront locations at Milsons Point and parklands with sufficient clearances to prevent overflowing.
  • The Peter Kingston sculptures – secure heritage recognition.
  • Wendy’s Secret Garden – council to acquire.
  • Sydney Harbour High Line (SHHL) – encourage North Sydney Council facilitate its construction.
  • Community Halls throughout the Council area – maximise the benefit they deliver to the community whilst retaining Council ownership.
  • 1 Henry Lawson Avenue- drive the State Government to purchase the site and include it in Blues Point Reserve.
  • Berrys Bay redevelopment options –
    • State Government to cancel the lease for Berrys Bay
    • Unused land to be transferred to North Sydney Council for foreshore parkland
    • Support for organisations such as The Sydney Heritage Fleet to establish a presence in the bay and to investigate the use of Woodleys boat shed.
    • State Government to finalise the transfer to the Old Quarantine Station buildings to NSC.
    • North Sydney Council and the Waverton Precinct to develop an overall plan for the Waverton Parklands including Balls Head.
    • Support North Sydney Council in its request for the State Heritage Commission to list the Coal Loader Complex as “A Heritage Site”.
  • St Leonards Park & North Sydney Oval – review options for each area and push for State Government grant for the proposals that are widely supported by the Community.
  • Future use of airspace above Metro Stations – Victoria Cross ( Miller Street) McLaren and Miller Streets and Crows Nest (Tunks ward).
  • CBD – develop a Masterplan for the North Sydney CBD including specific areas.

Matters directly relevant to all wards:

  • Amend the DCP to provide parking at the rate of at least one space per residential unit.
  • Safe segregation of motorists, cyclists and pedestrians
  • Regulations for bike hire – North Sydney Council to provide “bike docking” facilities at the cost of the bike hire company.
  • Plebiscites in future Council elections – establish a transparent process for selecting questions for a plebiscite.
  • Lost parkland due to State Infrastructure development. The State Government to fund replacement parkland.
  • HMAS Platypus: Provide community facilities.

EDUCATION

Retain and acquire land for educational purposes.

MEDICAL SERVICES

Conduct an audit of the delivery of health services to ensure they are aligned with community needs and delivered in a cost effective way.

AGED CARE

Areas above the Metro station at Crows Nest may be retained for much needed aged care facilities.

URBAN PLANNING

Plan sustainable cities recognising the importance of green spaces to human and environmental health. Keep public land off developers’ tables.

WENDY'S GARDEN

Wendy’s Secret Garden should permanently be designated as a public space. The Government should commit to retaining valuable public spaces such as this.

HERITAGE FLEET

The Heritage Fleet needs a home – a place to moor some of its amazing vessels that’s accessible to the public. Berrys Bay, with its long association with the maritime industry and connection to the Sydney Harbour Highline offers a perfect spot and it’s available now.