I can only guess how many committee meetings have been held to discuss some aspect of how to improve Civic– the traditional urban centre of the city of Canberra.
Category Archives: Opinions
Katherine Murphy
and the ship of dangerous fools
Good café – bad café
It only usually takes a moment to gauge what sort of service you are to receive when you enter a café.
Three Ministers and a Parkland
A week or so ago the ACT Planning Minister announced that the government was open for consultations on the Dickson Parklands (Section 72 to the bureaucrats).
NCDC in context
Often when posting on planning and development in Canberra, someone will comment that things were so much better when the Commonwealth, through the National Capital Development Commission (NCDC) ran the joint.
Northbourne Avenue
A new year and already the look, the aesthetics, and the whole nature of what will be the new Northbourne Ave gateway to the National Capital is up for discussion.
Bad design spreads like a disease
My post last week on the lack of good design and planning that is evident in the more recent parts of Gungahlin definitely caught a lot of people’s attention.
Gungahlin – urgent climate adaptation required
A couple of weeks ago I wrote on the threats to biodiversity caused through inappropriate developments across Canberra.
Continue reading Gungahlin – urgent climate adaptation required
being turnbulled
Social Housing vs community spaces
With Canberra having such an informed and aware community, one would have thought that a community-focused government planning minister would have surfaced by now – one being committed to development and the future growth of the city while simultaneously embracing the enhancement of (rather than reducing) the city’s amenities that are admired internationally.
Government and religion
In Australia we have a small band of conservatives who work tirelessly to have their brands of religion have a greater influence on government and the country’s laws.
Luckily till now they are more of less not so successful – well most of the time.
In their last round of attempts to achieve more religious freedoms (whatever that meant) – what would have been more applicable would have been to remove religion and the influence of such religious fundamentalists completely from the workings of government.
Meanwhile in a land not far away – things are going from bad to worse.
Click here for the story in the Guardian.
Pedestrians be aware – be very aware!
Life for pedestrians in Dickson is not as safe as it should be. Here’s a few events to illustrate my point.
Marea Fatseas and Community Councils
The 2016 ACT election was just over 12 months ago (how time flies) and the hot election topics back then included planning, development, community engagement and a host of issues around the ACT Government’s dealings with residents.
Dickson auctions
Just months ago a Luton’s auctioneer stated that the property going under the hammer was the only house for sale in Dickson.
Danger to dogs from the ACT Government
Some issues just do not go away. Dogs that are dangerous or potentially dangerous is such a topic.
Thanks for Flu
Here’s a message from me – and the many others who suffered through the flu recently:
This goes out to those thoughtful people who insisted on going out into public areas when they had the flu.
Michael Leunig
Bill shorten on equality
Bill Shorten unleashes on Turnbull
Welcome Bill Shorten, the next Prime Minister of Australia
alternative facts
David Marr on equality
Being Turnbulled
Australia has been Turnbulled yet again – click here
Populism
Populism now divides, yet once it united the working class
The words populism and populist have no simple, coherent meaning.
J J Cale
J J Cale & Eric Clapton: Call me the breeze
post truth & politics & energy
A good article summing up the state of politics, where truth is an option to be discarded.
Elizabeth Lee and Dickson Parklands
You will often hear commentators state that politicians are unpopular. I don’t think it as simple as that.
Inequality
What we can learn about fighting inequality from Australia’s convict past
Analysis shows that while land values per acre rose at 2.2% per annum, land rents fell by 0.3% per annum in the 1800s. Powerhouse Museum/Flickr, CC BY-SA
Rebecca Solnit on Trump
It’s Time (again)
It is definitely time for all forms of peaceful and concerted actions to adjust our democratic structures to deal with the damage being done by forces that have resulted in Trump and his cronies being where they are.
Noam Chomsky
Neoliberalism Is Destroying Our Democracy
the democracy experiment continues – but will it get beyond the influence of neoliberalism
Looking for arts policy
will we ever have an arts minister?
While Australia is a great country – it has been a long time since we have experienced a government that was actually committed to its culture.
Trump hair
Turnbull not so generous
Being Turnbulled
Once Australia was a leader in supporting equality and was generous in its assistance to other countries. Oh how things have changed. Here’s a post from Michael Moore on the greedy nature of the Turnbull government – click here.
A tale of two parklands
Very strange things happen in the urban design planning space in Canberra.
Being Negative
The message from ACT Labor friends
There’s definitely something evil being played out locally.
George Monbiot
George Monbiot on how dark money is subverting democracy in the UK.
Click on the banner above
ACT labor and the need for new leadership
Very strange events have been unfolding since the local ACT elections in late 2016.
Monbiot on Terrorism
Nicole Lawder, a Liberal who has your back
We expect a lot of our politicians. People rightly expect their elected representatives to do just that – be representatives of the people who elected them. That’s not always a success story.
Dickson on Northbourne
There’s significant redevelopment underway on Northbourne Ave in Canberra.
Hillary Clinton
A message to all the purists liberals
see message below – very appropriate for all those who bought the lies
Architecture
a note to the ACT Chief Minister
About the architecture along Northbourne Avenue
Architecture
How to waste public money
The saga of the proposed Garden Bridge over the Thames in London has been well covered in the UK press. It is indeed a saga. It is about a folly.
Higher Education
Australian Universities screw themselves
Australian universities have made a mess of their own advocacy – at the expense of students.
Being Turnbulled
Australian Values – The Master of Spin
Australians are again being subject to being Turnbulled. Yet Again.
Rhiannon Giddens
Music Review: Rhiannon Giddens: Freedom Highway, February 2017
My comments have nit changed much from my previous post on Rhiannon Giddens: This 2017 album features a woman with a strong and beautiful voice – singing folk songs of America – making very beautiful Americana music.
Neoliberalism has run its course
A few stories on this topic – and the world needs more people to identify this and to lead the change away from this nasty ideology.
Urbanity Bites
Weston Creek and public housing
There’s been some great public discussions in the media around the spin that has been put out by the government to distract from the real problems with the decisions to place new government housing developments into several Weston Creek suburbs.
Heritage yes – but some stuff should go
Two things to consider: One is that heritage is about to be celebrated here in Canberra with a festival from 18 April till 7 May 2017.
Urban Bites
Bureaucrats doing what bureaucrats do..
The other day we ran a set of small stories on urban issues – one being about student parking and how it has become a nuisance in the streets near the school.
Urban Bites
Land Development – who should fall on that sword
When a system is broken, how easily it is to point the figure at one person and say “It wasn’t me, it was that person over there.”
Continue reading Land Development – who should fall on that sword
George W Bell
Special presentation on George W Bell
George Bell (1920 – 2008) was member of Group M – in Melbourne.
Clive Hamilton on Turnbull
being Turnbulled!
Author Clive Hamilton has been engaged in the climate debate for more than 20 years, with books selling worldwide.
Yassmin Abdel-Magied
Very good article about this event – click on the image
Chuck Prophet
Review: Bobby Fuller Died For Your Sins
Released February 2017. Rating 4/5 – highly recommended.
Equity in politics
The wonderful world of contemporary politics
Here’s the famous photo. The world saw the problem? and…
Online Surveys
I have said elsewhere about online surveys – they are useful but caution needs to apply if anyone intends to use them to inform planning. They are not reliable for that purpose.
Good architecture arrives in Canberra–we wish
2017 in Canberra began with announcements that so many new buildings are about to change the city’s landscape.
Continue reading Good architecture arrives in Canberra–we wish
Urban Roadworks- and a quiet chuckle
Here in Dickson there has been a very long series of road works.
Russia Bans Meryl Streep
Architecture
Architectural vandalism at Parliament House
They have tried before and have failed–but this time they have got their way.
Braddon Bowls – let’s try planning
The Canberra City Bowling Club site in Braddon has now been the subject of articles across several blogs.
Being Turnbulled
Architecture
Click on the image for the story about the Arts District development along L.A. River
More on the Braddon bowling club development
This is the question (what is going on?) residents around Braddon had hoped to be answered when they attended a developer initiated information session on Thursday evening 8th December.
Continue reading More on the Braddon bowling club development
Apple MacBook Pro 2016
I have been buying apple computers since about 1991. Most of time I have been very impressed.
That’s no way to treat a baguette
One of the pleasures of life is a great cup of coffee and a real baguette.
Lies, lies and the NeoCons
There’s so much wrong with the democracy experiment at the moment. But is good that a few journalists are seeing the issues that must be dealt with.
Kingston Arts Precinict
LDA up to its old tricks again
There’s one thing about the way the ACT Government goes about planning for Canberra–it will always use any tricky method to justify how it assists the developers.
The Guardian on globalisation
Clive Hamilton on Trump
Trumpism as Whitelash
Clive Hamilton, Charles Sturt University (republished from The Conversation)
( a note from Paul Costigan – Before you read the Clive Hamilton article below from The Conversation– – have a look at the photograph above. It is scary!)
Dickson supermarket–what next?
The Appeal against the recently approved development application (DA) for the Dickson supermarket complex goes to its next phase very soon (see dates below).
Singapore visual arts
For many years tourists regarded Singapore as a stop over to somewhere else. Most spent a night or three but rarely much more.
Why all the super buzz about the supermoon?
Hillary Clinton
A last word or two on our 2016 politicians
We were driving along Limestone Ave when the Ainslie church sign came into view. It is regularly changed and sometimes takes a minute or two to comprehend.
George Monbiot
on democracy – reality or myth?
click on image for the piece from The Guardian.
The Auditor-General, the Chief Minister and pesky chooks
There were moments during the ‘meet the candidates’ forum in Lyneham a fortnight ago when it seemed that something was not right with the Chief Minister, Andrew Barr.
Continue reading The Auditor-General, the Chief Minister and pesky chooks
Inner south residents and Kurrajong candidates
On Tuesday night there was another debate between the Kurrajong candidates and the electorate – this time staged by the Inner South Canberra Community Council.
Continue reading Inner south residents and Kurrajong candidates
Carmageddon Beckons
Being Turnbulled
Dealing with right wing nut jobs
It was indeed a sad story to see serious journalists and scientists trying to debate with the latest of the Australia’s right wing nut jobs on TV.
It should be known well by now that there is no use in using the usual polite and logical approaches with such people. It just feeds into their well practised weird ways of arguing or debating.
Nick Cave
A new song from Nick Cave – one you may need to stop and listen to especially when you realise when he wrote it – just after his son had died. Continue reading Nick Cave
Ageism and Women
From The Guardian UK – a piece about ageism – and how it effects women – and men. click here
Ageism and ACT politicians
Following weeks (or was that months) of questions over land dealings and major developments, and now audits being announced into departmental processes, the Chief Minister has gone on the front foot and announced an idea to change his government’s methods of consulting on ‘Urban Redevelopment’.
Trump to lose – nope
click here for the story – by Michael Moore on Trump’s strategy
The City to Lake scam
There’s been a load of positive mainstream press about the wonders of the ACT Government’s major project for the centre of Canberra, The City to Lake Project.
Dickson monstrosity approved
What does it take for the ACT Government to have vision for developments in and around my own suburb of Dickson? I’ll get back to the question.
George Monbiot
George has offered a positive take on the Brexit vote. He has published his thoughts on seeing the opportunities despite the nastiness of those who championed the exit vote. Click here.
Turnbull – FIZZA
George Monbiot
George Monbiot and the UK Brexit from the EU
I cannot say that I understand what the UK lobby for the exit from the EU is all about. Nor can I say which option is the better. Sadly George Monbiot has clarified this with his usual precise summation of a dreadful situation.
Architecture
More on the Australia’s contribution to the 2016 Venice Architecture Biennale
Being Turnbulled
There was another of those special announcements by the Prime Minister today that was supposed to impress.
After so many months of muddle – we now have ‘decisive’ and bold’ actions. Sadly they have so far proved to be mostly hot air. But the press has been impressed.
Dickson Parklands
Being Turnbulled
Australia is being Turnbulled – again
Australia has had its shared of ‘being turnbulled’ this week. Most of the press as portrayed the Prime Minister’s announcements in a positive light. Whereas the truth is that he has continued to make a mess of things.
Being Turnbulled
There are many nasty things about the current Turnbull government. Granted he is not Abbott, but he has instead installed a very strange set of protocols for how he deals with – or not deals with – many difficult issues.
Searching for Canberra’s planning authority
The good people of Canberra, when they are in an optimistic mood, still believe there is a planning authority (ACTPLA) that consists of a learned group of experts who collectively make evidenced based and objective decisions on planning and development.
Continue reading Searching for Canberra’s planning authority
Mediocre design comes to Dickson
I don’t think the residents will be holding celebrations about what is being proposed for the new supermarket complex here in downtown Dickson.
Dickson planning ad hockery
Anyone who has been through the Dickson shops lately will have noticed an unsettling trend. The number of vacancies is increasing.
Brand Canberra follies
Dogs, ducks and dubious decisions
The Dickson Wetlands have been a success both as a water-engineering project (providing water for the nearby sports grounds) and as attractive open space parkland.
Clouds and time to think
