Saying goodbye to ‘09 & welcoming 2010

As I look at what will be the first week in some time without some kind of meeting, forum or committee I am heartened by the number of people who give of their time so freely to work for the community?  This has been a very full 12 months in Liverpool and 2010 is shaping up to be very much the same. To those very special individuals in our community thank you for making 2009 such a fabulous, challenging and engaging time. The year ahead brings some real challenges. We are facing an enormous container storage facility right here on our river and an exceptionally large transport hub to move those – up to 1,000,000 containers. The rail issues continue, as does the problems with sewerage, the lack of buses, the noise walls, the removal of lakes at Cecil hills, Prestons pollution etc, etc. etc.,

I am  taking  this opportunity to wish you and your families all the best this Christmas season can bring, but mostly that the new year brings with it some solutions to the problems that face us as a Regional City. Liverpool is a great place to work, relax, play and it offers so much more in potential and promise of things to come.

Enjoy whatever break you get , I’m working :-{  but will enjoy a bunch of Public Holidays and look forward to working with you and for you in 2010.

A quick note of congrats to the council staff who came up with the grant ideas for the noise walls at the last council meeting etc and the councillors who supported the recommendation, fingers crossed this gets the walls for the residents of Casula whilst giving this lousy excuse for a government an out for not doing what is right… hopefully a Win for these tired and neglected residents and a shameful pass for the NSW Labor and Liberal parties who have done everything they could NOT to do what is right. Also a quick thank you to Cllr Peter Harle for being there when none or few of his colleagues are, were, or even planned to be. Peter we might not always agree but at least we are there for the residents, shamefully not enough of the other councillors bother.

And a timely reminder to our Councillors and Mayor, regardless of the independent  review outcome ,  what you say on the phone,  in caucus or anywhere  may be deemed private but you represent us and we’d like you to do that with some class and consideration please.

Lastly… pls don’t forget to get your comments into council with regards to the CBD Parking strategy and  to the RTA telling them that ONE (1) additional lane on the M5 is simply not enough, whilst giving two lanes to the people (who don’t pay tolls) in the inner  western suburbs by duplicating the tunnel…

Merry Christmas, have a wonderful, relaxing break and may 2010 bring every Joy, peace and happiness to you all.  SEE you in 2010 ….

winding UP not down

As Christmas approaches and forums wind down, it would be easy to think things are slowing down… but in Liverpool this is not the case, this week I’ve attended a number of groups all of whom know that Christmas will not be a quiet time.

Monday I had the pleasure of catching up with the residents of Cecil Hills who are fighting to maintain the lakes across from their homes. Although sold as lakes the developers are set on creating another medium density housing estate right over the lakes… never mind the wild life, the flora- forget them- we’ll build some wetlands a bit further on so they can manage for themselves. DOH…did I hear that right, they’ll build more wetlands, why not leave the ones there  alone, win/win for all, the eco system is well established, the residents bought and paid for the view and the developer plans to build more wetlands ?”()? … what? so they can fill them in when they see the dollar signs and need more developable  land. Let’s get real, the lakes are established and flourishing… leave them alone, locals enjoy the open space which by the way is along the creek line. Leave it alone! Landcom & Mirvac have considerable land holdings in the vicinity, develop those and leave this valuable eco system alone, the swans, the water birds, come on…

Tuesday night was the councils forum in the CBD, considerable effort was put forward to invite business owners and operators in the CBD to come along and look at the options being put forward by council and the CBD Committee with regards to parking in the CBD… 30 or so business people came, many quite sceptical that they would be ignored and their ideas dismissed.  I’m pleased to say this is not the case, and I urge all the business owners in Liverpool to read the proposals (Available on the council website www.liverpool.nsw.gov.au) and make comment. This CBD info session/ forum was a direct link from the CBD Committee (all who read this regularly will know I and Frank Cartisano are the community representatives) and we want you to let us know what you feel about the ideas, give us any suggestions and contribute to our CBD. For our city to flourish we need to address the parking situation and the suggestions in this document are designed to make shoppers feel more welcome and spend their money in local businesses. If you would like to discuss this with me either email swesterberg@lso.com.au or call me on 8777 5599. I’m extremely passionate that we address the issues of parking in Liverpool ASAP, this is our city and we need to involve ourselves in its growth.

Last night I had the pleasure of attending the Environment Advisory Committee, (here also I am the Community Rep) and I thoroughly relish the ideas and processes in place to restore and appreciate our environment, be it community involved workshops or the riparian works done along our creeks and in our parks…this is what you pay for in your rates, the environment levy we all pay and knowing that it is being spent correctly and effectively is something we all should be interested in.

Things that are happening you may be interested in: Saturday at  9am – 1pm Moorebank Community Centre (Cnr Nuwarra Rd & Maddeck’s Ave, Moorebank) there is an M5 Expansion information session being held. I f you or someone you know use the m5, cross it or simply travel around Liverpool you might be interested in popping along and having listen to the proposals. There is also a website link www.m5expansion.com.au  While you are there come up and say hello and tell me your thoughts on the Intermodal being planned for the School of Military engineering site (another reason for the M5 expansion).

On the 12^th 12.30-3.30 is the LAG (Liverpool Action Group) meeting at the Liverpool Library – I’ll be there also so pop in, meet some like minded people and discuss issues that either interest you or affect you in Liverpool.

19^th-  the following week again at the Library is the Liverpool/Fairfield Greens meeting, our last for the year, 10.30—12.30  another fabulous opportunity to share with us your hopes, concerns and issues – we have some terrific ideas we’d like to share with you

Then if you still have time, don’t forget to comment to council on the CBD parking strategy due 11^th January, or the lakes issue at Cecil Hills.  Then of course if you have some time you could write to council and tell them how disgusted you are that the residents of West Hoxton don’t have access to sewerage, or that the residents of Casula still have no noise barriers, or the residents of Sadleir, Ashcroft  & Casula Links can’t get to a bus in a reasonable walking distance or in fact any bus if you live west of Cowpasture Road.  Any of the issues that affect resident’s of the greater Liverpool. Maybe also that we still have no real information regarding the intermodal and more

This in fact is a great City; it still needs some work but is worth the time.

It’s time:

We all are now more aware of the Intermodal and the huge impact this will have on the residents of Wattlegrove and the greater Liverpool. At the meeting on Monday I asked that the community be included in the discussion process and now, not wait until it’s either built or too late. I was approached by another member of the CILTA group who indicated she will attempt to organise another community forum and information session.

 If you would like to be included in any forums or information sessions that come up please register your name and email address with swesterberg@lso.com.au and I will add you to the data base of interested and concerned members of the community. I am a member of the Liverpool Fairfield Greens and this is  NOT an attempt to gather details for any other purpose other than the Intermodal and issues pertaining to the Liverpool area. I strongly believe that the community on the whole needs to be informed and included in this development and am keen to makes sure we are. Information will be sent to you privately under BCC so no one else will be able to gather your details.

Simply send an email to: swesterberg@lso.com.au with YES in the subject line and your name and email address, phone number if you choose and I will do everything I can to make sure information reaches you as it becomes available.

On another note, Last night’s forum was most interesting, the Rural fire brigade spoke on the new fire warnings now in place, we the residents strongly voiced our opinions on a couple of issues and voted unanimously to have them included in the minutes as motions, Council staff spoke about the Restoration & Revegetation processes and the sale of Public assets… all in all a good meeting with some strong opinions and debate. The last Eastern forum for the year I might add.

Frustration begins in Liverpool

Talk about frustrated… last week ARTC chose to halt works because of a Tip, seems the tip is more important than the affected people of Casula, nobody wants to tell us or include us in discussions regarding the intermodal  oops ‘proposed intermodal at Moorebank’, silica still fills the windy air at Prestons, West Hoxton still suffers the sewerage outfall with  no impending remedy, and now our Member of Parliament Mr Paul Lynch makes $700,000 (A GOOD THING) available to help those living in squaller  but only if you live in inner Sydney or the eastern and northern suburbs… did anyone tell him we have issues of people living in appalling circumstances right here in his electorate?

Damn I get annoyed… when I was campaigning last year and knocking on doors the most upsetting thing was the number of houses I called on where elderly people were living in sub standard situations…now our LOCAL Member hands out money (through his portfolio)  to those living in the inner city or in harbour side/eastern/northern suburbs. Please don’t get me wrong, NO ONE should have to live under these appalling circumstances but when does charity begin at home? Certainly not here in Liverpool it seems if you happen to live in a safe labor seat forget it…charity begins elsewhere…

I’ve lived in Liverpool for just about 50years and nothing drives me crazier than the neglect we feel here in Liverpool and our surrounding suburbs even from our own elected representatives… and yet on the whole we the people are so damned loyal… when can the same thing be said about those same representatives…?

To many things to wait

What a terrific meeting on Saturday, first I caught up with a like minded local who was willing to sit and spend time with me discussing a couple of important issues in Wattlegrove and Moorebank thanks Valerie, then on to the Green’s meeting where again I had the privilege to sit amongst like minded locals and discuss matters important to the whole Liverpool Area. A special thanks to DB for her contribution to our meeting with Lee Rhiannon. It is important to realise that so much of what happens while not costing much still incurs a fee…rest assured we aren’t frivolous and acknowledge the work done by so few for so many.  

Last Thursday I had the honour of attending the GRCCC (Georges River Combined Councils Committee)meeting at Wollondilly, I am as you probably know the Community Rep on the UGRUSP (we met Friday afternoon, more soon) and we had three speakers and wow it was interesting.

1^st one of the Authors of Rivers of Resilience, this book has recently been released and speaks of the Aboriginal community who live (and lived) along the Georges River, I just can’t wait to get my head into that book as it mentions so much of  my life (albeit I’m not aboriginal) but the settlements and lives of people who moved here from the likes of Redfern and Riverwood… all the way back to when the first fleeters settled in the areas between here and Sydney cove… there is also a display on right now in the Liverpool Library…up on the top floor and although only a quick look inspires me to return when I have a little more time.

The second speaker spoke of the wonderful works being done along the river at Bankstown…if you take a drive to Lake Gillawarna… and see the 3 D house on the corner of Newbridge Rd and Henry Lawson Drive…then take a walk along the pathways all the way up to the Barnaby’s site and see the amazing artworks placed there and the stories involved…well worth your time… I was at the Launch a couple of months back and am still impressed…

Thirdly – A couple who spoke at great detail about the proposed mining lease BHP Billiton has on the banks of the Georges river in Appin. Scary!!!

Friday I attended as the community rep for the Upper Georges River Urban Sustainability Project… we meet regularly and have been working diligently on things that can be done to improve access and the health of the Georges River, from Appin where it begins to here in Liverpool. Recently a local said to me that he’d not heard anything since the initial community meeting and when I reminded my colleagues that our work was not necessarily being seen by the local communities a decision was made to have brief prepared and circulated to the community through the local papers. Keep your eyes peeled for this I’m sure you’ll be impressed with the things that have started and will soon start on and around our beautiful river.  Also please take a few minutes to check out the website we’ve been involved in www.georgesriver.org.au  this website  is a joint project between the UGRUSP & GRCCC and the two other Projects (Mid & Lower Georges) along this wonderful water way.

Once you’ve done that and appreciate the beauty of this wonderful asset…search out the BHP Billiton development at Appin and see the proposed 30year lease they have on the catchment area and the long term impacts this development will have on the Georges River…. a 30 year lease..In my opinion it is outrageous!

Meeting invitation

You are cordially invited to attend the next Liverpool Fairfield Greens Meeting at Liverpool Library this Saturday  24th at 10.30 am -12.30. We are seeking the support of both Greens members and the general community to support us as we work with local residents on a number of issues affecting Liverpool. Come along, no one will ‘pressure you’ to join. With so many different issues and situations occuring in Liverpool we value your input. 

GM speak to forum (1/12/09 mark in your diary)

I am delighted to say that some of the suggestions made by the CBD Forum have been embraced by council and as a result the General Manager, Phil Tolhurst will speak at the December forum about the changes and aspirations for Liverpool’s CBD. This will be a terrific opportunity for local business owners and managers to meet with and discuss matters with the General Manager and I encourage everyone to mark it in their diary now. 1^st December 2009, Liverpool City Library 5.45 pm…. all welcome!

A meeting with MLC Lee Rhiannon & Graffiti gets an airing…

Things are a little quiet on the home front this week, no forums. I usually enjoy the odd week where there is nothing on at council but alas I heard that the Council staff were holding an info meeting re the draft Graffiti  policy and decided to rock on up and see if as many people as say they are, are really as passionate about the huge graffiti problem here in Liverpool. Alas not so many think it THAT important, albeit a blight on our neighbourhoods it only rated important for 7 locals, 4 of whom attend all the usual forums and Councillor Lucas and two residents I’d not met before. Might I say at this point I’d already read the documents and made my submission (on line here if you’d like a read). As you know I’m like everyone else, annoyed by tagging etc but I believe there are far more important issues facing Liverpool, but it was interesting to hear from one young fellow who not only does the art work at the Powerhouse but also teaches aerosol art. If you read my submission I think the most important thing we can do here is separate the words graffiti and art. To me they aren’t interconnected, and when reminded last night that young people call it so, I questioned the need for re education. The older of us in the community need to face the education that for some aerosol art is a valid form or art, so why can’t the younger people learn to differentiate the two words? Alas not enough people considered this the burning issue so perhaps some of our councillors can redirect their focus onto issues more needing of their attention, don’t get me wrong, we need to address the issue of graffiti and firmly but move on we must.

Of greatest importance to me this week was the meeting held at the community centre in Mill Road, with MLC Lee Rhiannon, where Lee asked for input from the community as to their hopes and desires for their suburb in relation to the new ARTC rail lines and the new road to the Casula Powerhouse……what a great turn out last evening. Also terrrific putting some well known names and faces together.

Lee asked the residents to tell her, their stories, how the ARTC rail development was affecting them, and they did. Although a highly emotive issue for many they told their personal stories, the interaction with the Government agencies, the effects on their health and safety, with such decorum and passion. The huge potential cost of continued battering by noise and sleep deprivation on their health alone is a matter that should be capturing the attention of the Government departments. The State Greens team led by MLC Rhiannon will do all they can to get this issue forefront and fixed. For me it was also great to have the input of Councillors Napolitano and Harle,  Helena from the Leader and Mal from Street Corner and as one resident noted to be able to work alongside each other will bring the best results. This is how a community should work, no one-up-man-ship just concerned people working together to achieve the desired result.

At the same time across town the Hoxton Park Group had a meeting also and are working on their case for the courts in November. If you ‘d like to help them with the potential costs involved contact the HPRAGInc@hotmail.com or buy a raffle ticket. I’ve been told many local businesses have donated products for raffle to help offset the costs of this legal challenge.

There are many things being thrust upon us here in Liverpool, I’m all too happy to assist where I can as is the whole Liverpool Fairfield Greens team. If you would like to chat with us on any issue please feel free to contact me or Bill Cashman (theres a link on this page).

Liverpool is our home, this is where our hearts are and we want what you want, a safe, healthy environment that looks after its residents, its workers and visitors.

Have a great long weekend….

The year in review

Well it’s now been one full year give or take a few days, we have a council elected by the people for the people…well perhaps not so much for the people… Here is a quick rundown of what I see has and hasn’t happened… sadly there is more of the hasn’t than has. Listed in no particular order and is by no means complete, if you feel you can add, please do so by commenting . As always I value your input be it positive and or negative.

What the Councillors Have made HAPPEN…whether we liked it or not…

• They Have increased rates- promised & promoted to be 12.5% that actually amounted to between 17% -30% for most residents.
• They have – made sure they got the top pay scale available.
• They Have – continued the infighting amongst themselves at council meetings, factions and fractions formed early and have continued to the present day.
• They Have – attended Council meetings: In fairness council meetings have had pretty good attendance… one councillor through a death in the family was absent, another was ill and another it was pointed out perhaps forgot to set the alarm. All in all except for these three occasions they have attended scheduled council meetings, although not privy to briefings it’s been said to me that attendance here is not so well represented.
• They Have – encouraged the increase the number of apprentices hired by Liverpool City Council.
• The Have – secured Collingwood House and its surrounds for the future.
• They Have – managed to take 3 junkets on our behalf… 7 members attended the Broken Hill State conference and The Mayor & Gary Lucas attended the Canberra summit while now another 7 are preparing for the Tamworth State conference. Although strictly conveyed as development and training, I’m still unsure why we need such a large contingent at these events. These I might add are the publicly advised events; I cannot say if there have been others for which we pay for our councillors to attend. We won’t know this until the budget indicates councillor expenses.
• The Mayor has – appeared to be pretty busy; she has managed to acknowledge plenty of functions she has attended although whether or not she has managed to fit in her full time job as well is unknown to me.

What Councillors didn’t’ do:

• They Haven’t - had too much activity amongst the community by councillors – nonexistent with perhaps exception of vote promoting support to smaller core groups
• They Haven’t – facilitated transparency – way too much is done behind closed doors, comments by councillors in previous posts confirm this.
• They Haven’t - Debated issues in Council, on way too many occasions the councillors have simply rubber stamped ideas – very little active debate was done in chambers.
• They Haven’t – Worked within the community amongst the community to raise the profile of issues important to the residents. E.g. proposed container terminal, South Sydney Freight lines, M5, bus services to the western region etc
• They Haven’t – supported many of the community functions i.e. National tree day (NO one attended at all)
• They certainly Haven’t – Promoted Liverpool as a destination of note, or for that matter promote Liverpool at all.
• They Haven’t – Cleaned up our city – highly promoted in election campaigns as our most urgent need.
• They Haven’t – Created  pride in our community again high on the list during the campaign
• They Haven’t – Fixed parking – can you see a pattern forming?
• They Haven’t – Improved infrastructure, maintenance and appearance of the LGA
• They Haven’t – Eradicated Graffiti – although it has been the number one talking point for the whole year
• They Haven’t – Fixed our Gateways – although I know work is due to start…but we are a year in.
• They Haven’t – Managed to have to Noise walls installed for the Casula residents along the rail or the m5 or at Warwick Farm.
• They Haven’t – Supported the Local residents at Hoxton Park and Austral in relation to the proposed schools… with the  exception of Cllrs: Gary Lucas, Peter Harle, Nadia Napolitano & Tony Hadchiti  who did fight for the locals in relation to Hoxton Park albeit a little late in the process they did have a reasonable shot at it. These 4 in fairness have in some small way at least started to represent the community; however there are 11 in total…
• They Haven’t – responded to the LAKES group who wrote to all councillors for support, last I heard only 1 replied, this councillor after all had managed to make upset many amongst the H/Park group and was looking to raise his image. Little to naught has received his attention since. I have now heard that some representation has been made by another councillor, although extent and details are unknown at this stage.
• They Haven’t – Attended community meetings/forums with the exception of (on occasion) Cllrs: Peter Harle, Gary Lucas and (more rarely) Tony Hadchiti.
• They Haven’t attended committee meetings on way too many occasions although  they  fought to be included in many of the council committees… for example one councillor stood for one committee in particular that has now had 5 meetings, he managed to attend only once for an hour.  Others made comments at council meetings questioning committee decisions only to have it pointed out that if they had actually attended the meeting they were in line to make decisions and that they had not bothered to attend.
• They haven’t –commenced work on Pioneer Park although money is in the bank waiting
• They haven’t – got a good reputation from the community for answering emails and letters.
• The Mayor hasn’t brought this team together; they are no closer to working as a team than they were the day before the election. Perhaps not entirely her fault but none the less disappointing.

Summary

So far I have to say that without exception these guys have cost us more than they have done, any infrastructure and maintenance that has been achieved could have also been done without councillors at all, the General manager and staff have in most cases prepared the relevant info for rubber stamping by the councillors. Our most successful initiative was perhaps the Garbage system rollout, a huge success by recognised standards was done by council staff not councillors. Several programmes have been supported but not initiated by councillors except the obsession with graffiti, and again this is in the planning stages nothing has actually happened. Those wheels of progress do turn ever so slowly don’t they?

To say I am disappointed in the achievements (or lack thereof) of the councillors because as I see it they have done little to nothing to improve Liverpool, they have cost us (big time) they support very little and they achieve even less. I don’t want to hear that they are new, we are a year in, and I won’t say that they haven’t done anything at all, I can only comment  on what is public and so far there isn’t anything much that can be said.  The two councillors (apart from the mayor) who manage to get comments out and about being Councillors Lucas and Harle seem to have attended some public forums (and recently Cllr Hadchiti has rocked up to a couple), they have attempted to have their views heard and in councillor Lucas’s case he’s the councillor who has pre empted nearly every important issue by releasing it to the local papers long before it was a council decision or while still in discussion phase. Things like the rate increase, proposed parking metres, parking initiatives etc. You only have to look back through Champion & Leader papers to prove this.

Could I have done any better?  – who knows, I guess that’s a question people can ask at the next election but surely we can expect a lot more in the coming years, after all we have these councillors for another 3 years. 

Just in closing, so I am clear, I strongly support council having councillors, pro active, passionate and active councillors. I would prefer to have been able to report on the many fantastic achievements and improvements to our Liverpool alas, all I can say is I’ve kept my word, I promised to keep an eye out whether elected or not. There are still many things to achieve here in our fair city and as part of a number of committees and groups I’ll continue to do the best I can and in the mean time I will keep you informed, I will continue to submit ideas, I will complain and I will recognise good work.

So for now, it’s been a year, we need to move forward, refocus and hopefully bounce some positiveness and passion into those councillors who appear to have done nothing but suck up fresh air in the last year and cost us money. As I said above this list is not complete, if you feel you can add, please do so by commenting.  As always I value your input be it positive and or negative.

What can we do?

So we have a town crier and the Mayor has acknowledged some lunches and functions…yay… is that all there is?

One of the best parts of what I’ve been involved with in recent years is listening to people, listening to them talk about what they’d like to see in Liverpool, their dreams, their concerns and their hopes. We don’t always agree, which is great, debate is wonderful, forums such as these allow for all opinions to come together and discuss issues. You get the odd whinger who instead of participating throws stones from the outside, knocking the attempts by citizens. Again this is their prerogative but who does it help? (Point in question the Champion online article Communication woes for LCC). At least on Street Corner and this site  people comment, again not always agreeing but free and open debate.

 So my question this week is how do we improve interaction, how do we encourage people to get involved? There are too many issues in Liverpool to list here, big issues, issues deserving of debate, discussion and downright outrage but still only a few get involved.  One of the reasons I get involved in the council forums is they are regular, the venue is provided and the small core group of attendees do care, but they are small groups by comparison… what can we do to encourage Liverpudlians to engage – not necessarily agree, many of my own opinions have been changed through debate with others closer to a situation. How do we reach more people? How do we encourage debate? What is your burning issue, something you’d like others to involve in? On our own very little will change, but if we band together we can become a force working together for the betterment of our city and its residents.

While I have your attention please consider supporting the residents get the barriers by making a submission to: ssfl@artc.com.au  the website to find out more is:  www.ssfl.artc.com.au and if you are in a writing mood the Warwick Farm car park is also calling for submissions in support of the car park over the existing (and arguing against the installation of a new street through Berryman reserve). http://www.tidc.nsw.gov.au/ or through the streetcorner post on the 28^th August.

If you’d like more info give me a call or drop me an email.