The Dickson residents continue to be disappointed with the ACT Government for allowing so many inappropriate development proposals to be taken seriously. The latest let-down is that local politicians look as if they are allowing a supermarket and residential proposal to progress even though the evidence indicates how wrong it is for this inner suburb.
There are reports circulating that the future of an important aspect of Braddon’s heritage is in danger of being lost.
It was earlier today while sitting back on my verandah reading a book on the concept of architecture and enjoyment that this Dickson resident had the pleasant autumnal experience of drifting away into a city of complete amazements. The city’s government had just appointed a Chief Minister of extraordinary vision for urban development.
I met Jon Stanhope a couple of times when he was Chief Minister for the ACT. Canberra benefited from his leadership. He continues to be a person known for his strong ethical stance on important issues.
He also liked public art – but that program was killed off because of the Liberal Party trolls who used the media to hammer the program.
to quote from a Guardian article: There are more men named Peter in the chief executive and chair positions of companies in the ASX200 – Australia’s 200 largest listed companies – than there are women. click here for the article. and..
click on the image for this great story – we wish them all the best!
Canberra as a planned city is a myth.
A posting I have uploaded to RiotACT – click here – puts the position that Canberra needs an urgent change a new approach to planning and development.
This country is being so badly governed. Politicians in this government openly bully those who do not share their view. This is how Abbott’s Team Australia deals with anyone deemed not to be on side with the government’s views. Democracy itself is being trashed by senior politicians almost daily. Graeme Innes’ article says it all – please click on the image
Be Warned – be Afraid – be Very Afraid
Residents are having to deal with a stupid development proposal that is backed by the ACT Government for a new supermarket in Dickson.
click on image for the story by George Monbiot
This is the third of several posts on planning and development issues for Dickson in Canberra. Residential groups around the country share similar frustrations, dilemmas and challenges in dealing with planning and development bureaucracies.
This is the second of several posts on planning and development issues effecting the local residents of Dickson in Canberra. The issues are not unique to Dickson. Residential groups around the country share similar frustrations, dilemmas and challenges in dealing with planning and development bureaucracies.
This is the first of several posts on planning and development issues effecting local residents. The stories and issues are not unique to Dickson in Canberra. Many residential groups around the country share similar frustrations, dilemmas and challenges in dealing with planning and development bureaucracies.
Just before Christmas the ACT Planning Authority (ACTPLA) had uploaded for comment the Development Application for the Dickson supermarket development. The original response deadline was the 27th January.
click on image above
Since the 1960s there has been several rows of public housing located on the main road into Canberra. In the last year, the Dickson Flats have been listed for demolition to allow for brand new multi-unit developments. So far so good. Maybe! (pic by Paul Costigan)
Continue reading Dickson Flats and Canberra Planning Madness
I have mentioned many times in previous posts just how sad it has become in this country in that our media has largely been corrupted. This has come about after years of attacks and more recently by careful placements of the ‘right’ people to board positions to influence the debates within the media, particularly our ABC.
and how the government is squandering significant urban design opportunities
The debate continues on this significant lost opportunity to deliver good urban design in Dickson. Click on image above for a posting on RiotACT.
No country in the world can yet say they have achieved gender equality. The UN has invited men to sign up to assist with achieving gender equity.
This is going to be a tough year to get through. Australia has one of the meanest and morally corrupt governments imaginable. In fact it is not a government of the people, but a set of opportunist politicians with strings being pulled by many corporate interests including that foreigner, Rupert Murdoch.
click on the image for the story
It was just days before Christmas (2014) when local residents may have noticed that a development application with big ramifications for their precinct was now available online for comment – with a month in which to submit any comments.
When it comes to most main stream media outlets, I have no positive expectations that they will be able to report on events with any credibility. The best one can do is to note the event and if you require relevant background information, then you need to search around and possibly wait a day or two for some of the real journalism to offer opinions and their take on events.
There’s an article from The Guardian that says it all. It is a very good reality check on the spin and lies coming out of our major political parties at the moment. Neither have been honest with the reality of the situation for refugees and both are still caught in dealing with slogans.
When the Australian Government’s spokesperson, Tony Abbott announced in August, that we all had to be part of Team Australia, we all knew what it meant. From his perspective, you were either with ‘us’, or you are against ‘us’. This government is about inequity and being plain nasty to anyone it deems not to be part of their agenda – Team Australia.
Australians have had to endure a load of stupidity thanks to current Australian national government. The worst insult to intelligence has been the constant dumb statements on climate change by their spokesperson, Tony Rabbott.
There’s a good review of this book online that points to the book being a good read. This theme of the effect of the growing inequity on economics and the basis of capitalism is now commonly talked about. click here
As 2014 draws to an end, the Credlin Government spokesperson, Tony Abbott, went on TV to talk positive about the changes to the Ministerial portfolios just announced. It was supposed to be an opportunity to finish the year with a positive after being such a crap government all through 2014.
But he blew it. Again! Boss Credlin will be very unhappy. Again!
and his continued destruction of Australia’s way of life
If there was anyone left in Australia, who for one minute thought that the current Australian Federal Treasurer was anything but a mean and nasty politician, then all they had to do was observe his latest crimes. This man looks after his rich mates especially Big Coal, Banks and Big Miners; looks after this who pull his strings and keep him in power, Murdoch and their cohorts; and does all this by stripping back opportunities for health and well-being from those most disadvantaged.
There is something that makes certain people believe that if they attend loads of committee meetings that they are actually doing something useful. Whereas the truth is that all they are doing is attending loads of committee meetings.
The publication of statements by Julie Bishop would be doing nothing to encourage young women about their opportunities and possible career paths. Her attitude seems to that women should stop complaining and get on with it.
The first is a short video I saw at an exhibition at the British Library, Terror and Wonder: The Gothic Imagination. The information panel explained that when this short film was originally released, it was banned by the censors. Too terrifying? or what? As I had trouble hearing it in the exhibition, I watched it later online.
In my home suburb of Dickson in Canberra, the push is on to allow some commercial residential development on what has always been designated as a community space. The site is now known as the Dickson Parklands.
I have written about this in previous blogs – click here.
click on image for the Guardian story on how Bansky was accused of racism.
click on the image for more
Happy to promote this book. This story remains complex. There have been several thoughtful reviews of the book published online. As well as the usual crap from the mainstream media, who were part of the problem during Julia Gillard’s time as Prime Minister. Sara Dowse has provided an intelligent and insightful review that is definitely worth reading. click here.
Here in Australia we have suffered a series of dirty political events that have led to the election of one of the worst possible national governments. However it always an education to pop one’s head up over the wall to look to see how other countries are faring.
Here are links to two bad cases mentioned in recent articles.
I had reviewed Andrew Leigh’s very good 2013 book, Battlers & Billionaires – click here. Just this week there has been announcements from an American campaign that is raining voices about the control the corporate elite have on the country and how this is destroying the planet and our civil societies. click here
“When you have all living systems in decline, just sustaining the decline is not going to solve the problem. We’ve got to have a u-turn here. We’ve got to start restoring ecological systems.” – Van Jones
I had previously posted a link to a good commentary by Michael Moore of Canberra. He said among other scathing things: “Tobacco companies want to prove that plain packaging does not work because it is being seriously considered by other governments across the world.”
Just to remind you that this book is worth reading. Sadly the ending is a bit depressing in that Nick considers the power elite have reshuffled a little but carry on a s before.
It has also been interesting to read the story of Rebecca Brooks. The question has been posed elsewhere, was she just a user of the corporate and political systems in order to climb the ladder to join the ranks of those in power?
The Abbott funding scandal story gets more interesting day by day.
I am referring to the story generated by the release of the emails between Brickworks (owner of Austral Bricks among other subsidiaries) and the Chief of Staff for Tony Abbott. The point being made now is how this company assisted in the lies about and attacks on carbon pricing while they made profits from the government subsidies then available. click here
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Paul Costigan, 10 September 2014
Most days the news is too predictable in that most sources simply churn out whatever the others are churning out.
We all know that this government is doing everything it can to push through an ideological driven agenda for all aspects of Australian social life. With the blessing of the cluster of Vice Chancellors, the government wants to make the system favour those with money at the expense of those from socially disadvantaged backgrounds.
I am a firm believer in public investment in the arts. I have always campaigned for a role for the Australia Council for the Arts.
In Australia the government has completely messed up any opportunity to gain long-term economic sustainability for the country. We have just witnessed the current government do a dirty deal with another party led by a mining millionaire to do away with an opportunity for a just tax on the miners.
The Conversation has just completed an informative series on the range of devastating changes being made to this country.
The writers cover most topics including: health, the environment, education, migration, science and the economy. It is definitely worth the time to make your way through them.
The Urban Bikeway Design Guide, Second Edition, is based on the experience of the best cycling cities in the world. Completely re-designed with an accessible, four-color layout, this second edition continues to build upon the fast-changing state of the practice at the local level. The designs in this book were developed by cities for cities, since unique urban streets require innovative solutions.
To create the Guide, the authors conducted an extensive worldwide literature search from design guidelines and real-life experience.
LA wasn’t always a driver’s town. In the 1920s, it had the longest urban rail network in the world, and innovative infrastructure was built for cyclists as well. Despite this, Angelenos fell in love with the car early on and moved for more highway projects, making it the road-based city it is today.
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Paul Costigan, 19 August 2014
There are still journalists who tell it as it is really happening. A few.
I link here to two stories relating to two of Australia’s most evil men. There’s a few more!
One is a story of both of them by Jenna Price in the Canberra Times.
Melbourne is a city I enjoy visiting. Most of the time my visits involve moving around the inner suburbs of Melbourne.
It seems the news about the intelligence of the Australian government just continues to be depressing. Just how bad can they get? Is Tone Rabbott a complete destructive idiot!
Croakey author, Michelle Hughes, highlighted the ongoing inequities within the health science arena – click here.
I identify with her final comment on the selection of keynote speakers as the issue of getting women as key-note speakers was a focus of mine in the past. I did come up with a strategy to deal with it. See my notes below.
LA wasn’t always a driver’s town. In the 1920s, it had the longest urban rail network in the world, and innovative infrastructure was built for cyclists as well. Despite this, Angelenos fell in love with the car early on and moved for more highway projects, making it the road-based city it is today.
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Paul Costigan, 19 August 2014
One wonders just how long all thinking Australians are going to put up with so many terrible decisions being made by a federal cabinet that has just the one token woman present. Jane Caro has written a very good piece in the Guardian on how that stupid Education Minister is putting into place even more barriers to equity in employment. click here.
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Paul Costigan, 11 August 2014
click on the image for the First Dog on the Moon Cartoon
I had read and reviewed Nick Davies former revelatory book, click here. Now Nick follows through with the more worrying story of the damage that has been done to the media following the phone hacking scandals.
The Guardian has published a terrifying article of just how far down this country is heading. As Tim Flannery says: The Great Barrier Reef is sick. Almost half of its coral is already dead and a massive new coal mine, which was given final approval this week, will only cause further damage. This is not just an issue for Australia, it affects us all.
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Paul Costigan, 3 August 2014
The Guardian has published a terrifying article of just how far down this country is heading. As Tim Flannery says: The Great Barrier Reef is sick. Almost half of its coral is already dead and a massive new coal mine, which was given final approval this week, will only cause further damage. This is not just an issue for Australia, it affects us all.
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Paul Costigan, 3 August 2014
The Academy of Science brought together young researchers and leading scientists to discuss climate change and its impacts on health.
The Academy of Science brought together young researchers and leading scientists to discuss climate change and its impacts on health.
Bob Menzies, the hero of the Liberal Party. Some of us have other thoughts about this man who wanted to sell out his country.
When you read the statistics on the range of dangerous changes already occurring to the planet because of climate changes, you do wonder about the stupid and dangerous decisions being made by the present Australian Government.
Suzanne Goldenberg has written that because of the changes to climate the world is nearly five times as dangerous and disaster prone as it was in the 1970s. Her reference is a new report from the World Meteorological Organisation.
Click here for that article.
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Paul Costigan, 26 July 2014
There is a very hard-hitting article in the August 2014 issue of The Monthly on how the two large supermarkets have been allowed to rip anyone and everyone off. Even more depressing is that it points to how we, as consumers, are continuing to allow this to happen.
The major point raised by the article is how this dominance of the two of these supermarkets has reduced the food security in this country.
An opportunity has presented itself with the Commonwealth Government’s announcement to allow the National Capital Authority (NCA) to open up the Parliamentary Triangle to more commercial opportunities. (CT 12 July, Page 1, Shopping in the triangle? It’s a private matter)
I have no problem at all with more commercial activity happening within the Parliamentary Triangle. The question is just how to intelligently implement such a change to this landscape that presently serves as a national monument.
I have the benefit of living in a suburb with plenty of tree cover. In fact the view outside onto the streets is almost as if the street is a parkland. The concept that any suburb should have an abundance of trees and shrubs and associated bio-diversity is simply so logical that one wonders why would anyone think otherwise.
From an article by Jori Finkel in the Art Newspaper:
In New York, Sperone Westwater comes in at 91 versus nine. Team Gallery at 85 versus 15; Matthew Marks at 84 versus 16, and Mary Boone at 83 versus 17. Some of the top galleries in Los Angeles tell a similar story: Blum & Poe is 89 versus 11; Prism is 88 versus 12; Thomas Solomon is 85 to 15, and Patrick Painter is 83 to 17.
A video, about six and half minutes, introducing the concept of valuing landscape and the link to liveable settlements.
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see also – Sustainable Sites Initiative
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Paul Costigan, 24th June 2014
This country via its elected government has moved to do the unthinkable.
While we all thought that our government was already dealing out extraordinary cruel treatment to people who have had to leave everything and seek asylum in Australia, the Immigration Minister has proposed more foul legislation for Parliament to consider.
I refer to a former post (click here) in which I provided commentary about trees in several local location.
One key story was, and remains, the special lines of trees on the eastern and western entrances to Braidwood, in southern New South Wales.
Dealing with contemporary planning agencies has become a very stressful task for any person with concerns for their immediate and future urban environments.
We live in a street that is inhabited by many dogs. Nearly every neighbour, near and far, has a pooch.
Most of these animals are quiet. Full credit to their owners. But we have the honour of having a couple that do let their presence be known with some barking. I have posted before about not so nice dogs and their owners. (click here) Continue reading Our Dog Shakey
There is no doubt that the City of Sydney and its harbour are magnificent to behold. (click on the photo to enlarge). The mix of built structures really makes for a view that demands you take the time to stare, contemplate and to just enjoy it for as long as it takes. However…..
In recent weeks and months there have been several significant development proposals announced by the territory (ACT) government in Canberra. If all the government’s ambitions come to fruition then residents about to witness some very serious alterations and additions to the make-up of several parts of the inner city urban fabric.
Australians can only wonder what the President thought about after having his conversations with the Prime Minister of Australia knowing that this is the man who proudly said climate change is crap.
In recent weeks and months there have been several significant development proposals announced by the territory (ACT) government in Canberra. If all the government’s ambitions come to fruition then residents about to witness some very serious alterations and additions to the make-up of several parts of the inner city urban fabric.
Consumer and climate experts say extreme weather could raise insurance premiums and lower property values. This is something still being ignored as too many people have allowed the federal government misinformation campaigns to distract them from addressing these devastating issues. click here
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Paul Costigan 5 June 2014
from The Guardian, Designing cities and factories with urban agriculture in mind. The Netherlands offers inspiration for designers looking to create environments that harvest water, energy and nutrients.
Urban farms are transforming inner city spaces – rooftops, infrastructure, streetscapes, building skin – into generative ecologies that support the lives of people, and pollinators too. They are bringing into cities, and into plain view, the natural systems that sustain urban life
Once upon a time in the not too distant past a gathering of Australian State/Territory Premiers and the Prime Minister looked like this image below.
and now? Continue reading Equity in Australian Political Leadership
Held in the Albert Hall, Canberra, on 26 March 2014.
The proposition was that ‘Australia doesn’t need Women’s History Month’. Continue reading Australian Women’s History Forum
There are all sorts of stories in circulation in Canberra as a result of the decision to introduce paid parking for all areas within the Parliamentary Triangle. This has a big impact on those who work in the area. Some public servants are devising clever tricks to continue to have free parking.
This will also mean that visitors will now have to pay to visit the national institutions and have limited time to visit. This could be a marked change in how visitors regard the national cultural institutions. I know as a local, it will mean less visits to these institutions.
Do you want to see something really really scary?
The Monthly has published an excellent article of the Abbott crowd and how his old boys are in charge. The image on the cover is worrying simply because it is so factual. The artist has captured their collective personalities far too accurately.
Do not show this image to children. Click here.
So we have governments in Australia trying to make political capital out of any proposals on infrastructure. Have we ever considered how other governments travel when it comes to delivering on infrastructure. Well let’s try Italy.
Brisbane’s South Bank Corporation’s lack of equity in their management
It was while researching the background on my pieces on Brisbane and in particular on the South Bank Corporation, that I was checking on its corporate status when I came across a rude piece of evidence on the corporation. Continue reading Brisbane’s South Bank Corporate Equity
There’s an article in the Guardian by George Monbiot titled:
Can you put a price on the beauty of the natural world?
Those who reduce nature to a column of figures play to an agenda that ignores its inherent value – and seeks to destroy it
To which one response online was: Great article George.
A piece from the New Yorker that again points out that the time for action on climate change is now but that inaction has actually become the norm. So many politicians have come to office on the back of statements on climate change, yet here we are in 2014 with no significant actions being undertaken to realistically deal with climate change.
The really sad part is, as pointed out in the article, the longer we allow our national governments to sit on their hands, then the harder it will be in the coming years as the problems will have worsened and become far more difficult to deal with. It seems we are all waiting for someone else to solve this problem.
Eventually of course, someone or at least something will. That will be the planet that rejects the dangerous race called humans.
Here’s the link to the New Yorker article – click here
In a blog on the Huffington Post, the authors point out the obvious. That is, obvious to those who are looking and care as opposed to too many who are presently making decisions about cities and sustainability.
The evidence is there. Design well and all the benefits can follow. Design badly, which is too common, and all the inequities and unsustainable practices come to the fore. As the authors say:
Well-designed cities generate jobs, innovation, and economic growth for all. But when designed poorly — with too much sprawl, waste, and inefficiency — they can divide cities and exacerbate pollution, inequality, and political instability. Moreover, poor design has long-term consequences given that urban infrastructure often lasts decades. Continue reading Sustainable Cities
As reported many times, the current mainstream media has become part of the problem in encouraging the world to act urgently on climate change.
In Australia it has become painfully obvious that media, such as our own ABC, has gone far too far in providing what they term as ‘balance’. The voices of the scientists and the weight of their reports and the mountains of evidence is ‘balanced’ by the time given to complete skeptics and their lack of scientific evidence.
there’s so many issues
This government draws its strength from others and from their belief in the right to be in government. This government does not care what is being said by people such as those in the March in March protest. This government would view the protesters as being the problem, not their messages. It is going to be a difficult few years living in a country where democracy is being trashed.
It is worth checking the latest list of The Rabbott’s national wreckage – click here.
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Paul Costigan, 5 April 2014
There’s many a piece of research and publication about the links between access to parks and people’s health and wellbeing. Any urban area that includes ample public green spaces will always be sought after and the benefits are evident in the community attitudes towards their residential areas. Parks enhance the sense of community.
Most Australian urban areas usually have had parks provided as part of the urban infrastructure. However in too many cases these parks and open spaces end up not being maintained well and sadly many also become places of neglect.
When women earn high positions and speak up for their professional goals, they encourage more to do the same. There’s an online article by Barbara B. Kamm in which she says: Continue reading Equity and Corporate Boards
Flown anywhere lately? You were not alone – You had company up there.
A data visualization of Air Traffic in Europe was created from real flight data. It shows the air traffic which flies on a typical summer day and highlights the intensity of the operation in Europe – an operation which runs 24x7x365.
There’s not much more to be said about the behaviour of The Rabbott Government Attorney General, George Brandis, and his statements on racial discrimination. We reached the bottom when he said “People do have the right to be bigots you know.”
Penny Wong then became a target for his criticism.
Canberra Times Article, by Marie Coleman
With the first female Governor General now having departed the scene, it was indeed timely for a local writer to sum up the messy situation that occurred thanks to our infamous Prime Minister.
That is, The Rabbott took this opportunity of the departure of this well-loved person from this high office, to confuse any celebration by announcing that he was bringing back the out of date honours of Knighthoods and Dames. To rub it in fully, The Rabbott announced that Quentin Bryce was to be the first to be honoured.
The evidence is out there. “A new study sponsored by Nasa’s Goddard Space Flight Center has highlighted the prospect that global industrial civilisation could collapse in coming decades due to unsustainable resource exploitation and increasingly unequal wealth distribution.”
Yet governments continue to play down the message in order for short term political gain. The article is definitely worth a read, not to become alarmed, but to become more informed of the need to rethink the way we do business. click here.
