Fun Fact: While looking up something else, I noticed a side bar image of the Meta (Facebook) headquarters. This is in Menlo Park California. Then I noticed the background and that the vast complex was almost at sea level.
Community groups who have studied the Greenslabor planning reform plans and strategies know that the chief minister’s deregulation reforms will devastate the suburban characteristics that attract people to this city.
In 2011 the Dickson Residents Group asked the then planning minister, Andrew Barr, to consider a comprehensive eight-point plan for this inner north precinct.
Continue reading Welfare organisations fall for the Greenslabor Mything Middle scam
Unfortunately for the city’s future, the ACT Chief Planner is not known for taking biodiversity seriously. Others do, although their efforts may be a little too polite to make any impact on this Greenslabor government.
Continue reading Chief Planner ignores biodiversity in his reforms
When the ACT chief planner was appointed in April 2017, he explained his theoretical approach to planning. In April 2019 I used those statements to set out ten performance indicators and then scored how he was doing.
Continue reading The ACT planning chief has failed the residents of Canberra
With the formal consultations now closed on the ACT government’s planning reforms, many in Canberra’s community groups would be wondering about the motivations of the planning bureaucracy.
Continue reading Greenslabor hopes that no-one noticed the deregulation of planning
Dealing with the complexities of Greenslabor planning reforms has been an unpleasant experience for those reading the badly written documents that were drip-fed to the public last year. There is nothing positive about what is being proposed. Continue reading ACT Greenslabor have truth and transparency as options
Unsettling thoughts should not enter your head when you are admiring a beautiful garden. This happened recently.
Inner north Canberra community members have been swamped with major development proposals that, according to the planning directorate, need to be commented on in a very short timeframe. The Bureau of Meteorology could not have forecast this inundation of paperwork.
A Great photograph can bring about a myriad of memories as well as pose more mundane questions such as why political movements fail.
Continue reading The disconnect between passionate Peter Dombrovskis and the ACT Greens
The ACT Greenslabor government regularly makes re-announcements about commitments to sometime soon provide homes that are sustainable. Continue reading Housing ACT as the rogue developer
The worst behaviour of any politician or bureaucrat is when a mistake has been brought to their attention, that they double down, pretend there’s nothing wrong, produce alternative facts and discredit those who have identified the error.
Towards the end of the Inner South Canberra Community Council’s forum last month, a question was asked about whether the chief planner could override decisions on urban trees. Continue reading Pretending to care about the fate of mature trees
There are architecture tours of the city of Chicago conducted (when it is not frozen over in winter) to admire the wonders of design incorporated into the city towers. It would be doubtful that there would ever be architecture tours of Woden’s town-centre towers. Continue reading Woden town cramming continues
Last week, the ACT Environment Minister, Rebecca Vassarotti, announced her draft action plan about the loss of mature trees.
Attached is a must read document: Analysis of the ACT Light Rail Stage 2 project.
There used to be the sound of owls in the inner north of Canberra at night time. I didn’t really appreciate the beauty of their call until, one day, I realised it was no more.
I recently sat on the pictured bench and pondered the shrubbery and trees planted in several clumps on a mound in a Downer park.
Welcome to 2022. While there are many things not yet addressed in planning and development by the elder Andrew Barr and his government, there are some tangible programs to do with biodiversity that are waiting to happen.
First, a shout out to the hard-working community council volunteers who bring together views of residents and then present these to the government. The latest has just been published by the Inner South Canberra Community Council (ISCCC).
Continue reading Inner South Canberra District Planning Strategy
For almost half a decade, the Woden Valley Community Council (WVCC) has been careful not to oppose development. The WCCC has focused on the quality of the developments and to have the redevelopments include social and sporting facilities.
This was to be the year the ACT government was to deliver the much-vaunted reforms to make planning simpler and more accessible.
Last week ACT Planning Minister Mick Gentleman announced the approval for the draft variation for the first of the “Demonstration House” projects.
For most people, what happens with planning regulations tends to be of little interest, until the day arrives when it becomes the issue requiring their utmost concentration to work out what the hell is going on.
Continue reading When planning permission is beyond the pale
The humbug around the spin on taking actions on climate happens internationally, nationally and locally. Continue reading Climate Change humbug
Think back to 2015 when Chief Minister Andrew Barr had to back down on a mess of land dealings locally known as the Manuka Land Swap.
Given that I will be voting as an early voter next week, the time has come to decide on the candidates to be given the tick – or the flick.
Many residents who voted for the ACT Greens are disillusioned given how the partnership with ACT Labor has sidelined many planning, development, environmental, heritage and urban issues.
Here’s praise for an ACT politician. The accolade goes to the Greens’ Caroline Le Couteur for her work in chairing (from 2016) the Legislative Assembly committee on planning and urban renewal and the release of the April report – “The Inquiry into Engagement with the Development Application Process in the ACT”.
As the COVID-19 crisis took hold and people bunkered down, residents hoped for less stupid things by the ACT Planning Directorate.
Surfacing in community meetings across Canberra is an issue that is upsetting people’s enjoyment of their neighbourhoods.
After any neighbourhood auction, the conversations usually follow a similar line: will the property be occupied and the garden maintained or will it be up for demolition for yet another large, grey box with the established greenery taken away as rubble?
Continue reading The degradation of Canberra by the ACT Government
Before the 2016 ACT elections the Labor Party indicated that it was to make changes to how planning and development happened.
When the government slipped through the unique variations to the rules for south-east corner of section 72 Dickson, all the local government members, including Green/Labor member Shane Rattenbury, signed off on this most inappropriate action by the planning minister.
In May 2019 the ACT Government declared a climate emergency. The expectation would have been for high-profile urgent actions.
A tree came down earlier this week in Dickson (above).
Looking at the trees nearby, it will not be long before more of these trees meet a similar fate.
A media statement by an ACT Minister would surely be fact checked and at least have someone cast their eye over it for a reality check.
Because what you do next – today and tomorrow, and every day after that, Counts
So make it count
It’s Christmas! A time to be jolly.
A Christmas tree is such a positive symbol. No matter how crazy or plain, Christmas trees, like the real ones, bring joy. And we could do with a lot more fun in life.
Late in 2018 the Weston Creek Community Council held a public forum for fire experts to provide information about fires in the 21st century. It was really scary stuff.
Another example of when the ACT Greens proved to be a disappointment – A Collective Fizzer
Here’s an issue now being looked at in the inner north – and no-one has yet to work out what happened.
Continue reading ACT Government and changing flood map information
It was announced on Wednesday (October 23) that the government is reviewing the ACT’s Tree Protection Act. Good news! Maybe.
The devil is in the detail and we are talking about a government that we have learnt not to trust.
The ACT government is hoping to plonk Common Ground onto Section 72 in Dickson and is asking for feedback on the concept design for the building and site design.
ACT residents have become convinced that the ACT Government operates in a completely different universe. This separation is having a huge impact on people’s lives. click here.
During the last decade the ACT Labor Party has depended on the ACT Greens to form government. What has come of the ACT Greens? Click here
Unfortunately what has been happening for years in Canberra, being bad planning and development, looks to continue given the on-going bad decisions by the ACT’s planning minister and his bureaucrats in the planning directorate. Click here.
The ACT Government has a bad reputation in its dealings with residents and their concerns for the future of Canberra.
I have written about this topic in City News – here’s my piece – click here.
We are still being governed by idiots – who will see the country suffer now and into the future to appease their own interests and their mates in the coal industry. The good news? They are guaranteed to be gone at the next federal elections.
Click here for the story.
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.
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
This post starts with being in front of our house at 6.15 am listening to the cacophony of sounds coming from what must have been a rowdy Christmas Day gathering of Sulphur Crested Cockatoos at end of the street (near the Dickson Drain).
we are being Turnbulled – over and over again.
A good article summing up the state of politics, where truth is an option to be discarded.
The world leaders are stepping forward! – click here for the story
A message from the MIT President in which he reacts to the Trump announcement on how Trump is yet again out of touch with the rest of the world. Yah for our scientists!
A wonderful sign of things to come.
Canberra’s planning system remains super complicated and out of reach of ordinary citizens.
Author Clive Hamilton has been engaged in the climate debate for more than 20 years, with books selling worldwide.
Very good article about how low Australian politicians have travelled – and their lies about the dangers of climate change. Click here.
Following a couple of pieces in the local press, one would think that the ACT Government’s planning was in turmoil because key people are on the move.
click on the image for the story on The Dirt.
Click on the image for the Guardian article
click on banner for the Guardian article by George Monbiot Continue reading Climate Change, Trump and language
Here’s a worrying view on Trump and the efforts to deal with climate change.
An article about how this country has been there on the climate before Trump with both Abbott and now Turnbull. Click here.
a sad story about how Turnbull and his Murdoch allies are doing their best to Turnbull (stuff up) the country’s advances with renewables. Click on the image above.
Scientists: Earth Endangered by New Strain of Fact-Resistant Humans – click on image for story
click on the image for the story
Sometimes the words of local politicians are a thing of wonder. Here’s a very curious story.
Any tree is worth saving. Any group of trees is always worth fighting for. But I also acknowledge that when absolutely necessary any tree can be replaced.
Can it get any worse?
Here’s an article on Malcolm Turnbull’s government and his environment minister and their attitude towards the environment and climate change – and the Great Barrier Reef. Click here.
This is the on-going sad story about how Australia has a federal government, led by a Top Hat prime minister, who has now adopted the postion of the climate sceptics. Here’s an article that talks about the latest – with the ACT Government out in front and the federal government continuing to Turnbull the country. click here.
click – here – for information about this poster project
Along with some very pointed questions that were posed at the recent talk at the Albert Hall, there were a couple about the lack of government leadership in emphasizing the value of good design and the importance of architecture.
Continue reading The failure in Canberra’s domestic architecture
George Monbiot on the UK Government’s refusal deal with floods. click on photo
Three stories that provide a reality check on the current approaches to climate.
Again George has taken aim at one of the fictions of the modern economy. His article is headed: Consume more, conserve more: sorry, but we just can’t do both. Click here.
Article from Wired about India & energy – to go Big Coal or Big Solar? click on image
CLIMARTE is curating an exhibition by Australia artist Debbie Symons. The artwork is a digital work titled Counting One to Four: Nature morte. Click on the image for more.
We start with words from the City of Sydney – that contains all those words that make sensible people run for cover:
Imitate to Innovate: Vitoria-Gasteiz Shows How Cities can Address 21st Century Challenges. Click on image for the story.
Neil Young has launched a new website with the aim of educating people about world conservation. Click here for the story in Rolling Stone – or for the direct link to the site – click here.
click on image for more and to join the campaign
click on image for article
We all heard the news— that scientists were very excited about the discovery of water on Mars. The logical thought being that if there is water, then surely there will be some for of life on Mars.
Australia has a new Prime Minister. (Yah, that other one is no longer on my TV!!)
Have we changed anything when we come to getting real about climate change? So far the signs are not good but it has only been a week or two since the change in government leadership.
The
scandal around the use of diesel in vehicles has been coming for years. There have been numerous articles recently about the research on what the dangers there are to the environment and to our health from having diesel vehicles on the roads.
And now for something really silly – or maybe just naive.
It is very embarrassing to have your own federal government so wrong on crucial matters such as climate change and the treatment of refugees.
The US President has shown leadership on climate change. – click here.
a photograph from The Guardian. Not a fun place to be. click on image for the article
A video about how the Dutch people have legal means forced their government to deal with climate change – click here. Is it possible in Australia?
We live in strange times. The Australian Government has led the country into being backward looking and to be so far behind so many countries that are moving to address climate change. Into this important international debates has stepped the Pope. The Australian Prime Minister continues to portray himself as a man of the Catholic Faith. Yet he has chosen to ignore the Pope. Here are some thoughts on the Pope’s timely actions – click here.
