A Melbourne Moment
A scene within a RMIT university car park in Carlton. It speaks for itself!: rated zero out of 10 stars.
Category Archives: sustainability
How many storeys are inappropriate?
Ivanhoe Urban Architecture
Political spin justifies anything
Recently in The Age (19th July 2024) several local politicians and a few ‘experts’ spoke of the coming of apartments towers to the central areas of Ivanhoe with the emphasis on those sites nearer the railway station.
Does Clive Hamilton value his own backyard?
This piece as originally published in 2022
Looking at the creative political sign in front of the Kingston Glass Workshop in October (now removed), the message was clear.
Continue reading Does Clive Hamilton value his own backyard?
Time to move to Melbourne
At the end of June, I took time out from writing about local urban political matters.
The ACT government losing its humanity
Media and opinion writers when criticising the government of the day, traditionally keep the focus on the politicians and not their bureaucrats. Then there was Robodebt.
The stupidity of ACT Government spin doctors
Community Voices or Government spin?
The Illusory Truth Effect is a tactic often used by spin doctors to assist politicians get away with being dishonest.
Continue reading The stupidity of ACT Government spin doctors
Canberra builds crammed expensive housing
The ACT Green’s Building the Better Normal policy
Recently I was sent a real estate advertisement for a rooftop unit on Northbourne Avenue Canberra.
The politics of planning remains murky – at best
Planning was a hot topic for the 2016 ACT elections with some hoping that it could be the issue to push the Greenslabor cohort out of government.
Continue reading The politics of planning remains murky – at best
Understanding landscape should be the chief qualification
ACT Government needs a chief landscape specialist
Many decades ago when talking to a staff member of the National Capital Development Commission (NCDC) in their 220 Northbourne office about urban and social matters, I was distracted by the view south from the 9th floor office window.
Continue reading Understanding landscape should be the chief qualification
A Sense of Place denied by ACT Government
There is a common theme to the many well-crafted and informed submissions by residents trying desperately to influence the proposals to change the city’s planning.
ACT Community Councils call out the Failure of planning
Combined Community Councils’ submission is a must read
There are many comments circulating about the 400 submissions received by the planning directorate on what the community thinks of the ACT Government’s attempt to reform planning.
Continue reading ACT Community Councils call out the Failure of planning
ACT politicians keep believing their own vacuous spin
Reading through submissions for one of the many inquiries conducted by this ACT government, there was one submitted by the Rebecca Vassarotti as Heritage Minister.
Continue reading ACT politicians keep believing their own vacuous spin
ACT Assembly refuses to hear what residents are saying about planning
On Thursday 30th March Jo Clay MLA stood up in the assembly on behalf of the ACT Greens and moved a motion about the chief minister’s planning reforms.
Continue reading ACT Assembly refuses to hear what residents are saying about planning
Greenslabor hold the line on false narratives about planning
The Inner South Canberra Community Council (ISCCC) meeting on Tuesday 11th April was reported to have been a lively event with a couple of Greenslabor politicians providing their take on the ACT chief minister’s so-called planning reforms.
Continue reading Greenslabor hold the line on false narratives about planning
Canberra Liberals need to try harder on planning
On the afternoon of Tuesday 28th March, Canberra Liberal Peter Cain rose to his feet in the legislative assembly to deliver a brief speech about an aspect of the chief minister’s planning reforms.
Continue reading Canberra Liberals need to try harder on planning
Downer to fall foul of Barronomics
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.
Fact checking ACT Ministers’ press statements
Gentleman’s patronising praise
The planning minister’s 22 March media release on the feedback received on the planning reforms was a real gem.
Continue reading Fact checking ACT Ministers’ press statements
The differences in values widens between the ACT government and residents
There is huge gap in values between those of the residents of this city and those of the ACT’s planning authority. Canberra’s community groups have been writing submissions about their aspirations and urban priorities for more than a decade.
Continue reading The differences in values widens between the ACT government and residents
ACT Minister takes the mick
Minister for Canberra Planning re-asserts his authority
The Minister for Canberra Planning has reassured residents that the minister has read the hundreds of submissions that hard working Canberra residents have submitted about the so-called planning reforms.
Welfare organisations fall for the Greenslabor Mything Middle scam
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
Does the ACT Housing minister know how to read?
Recent opinion pieces highlighted the ACT government’s badly managed planning authority and how they continually ignore their own rules and then object when they are overruled by the appeals tribunal.
Continue reading Does the ACT Housing minister know how to read?
Chief Planner ignores biodiversity in his reforms
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
No one takes responsibility for ACT Housing non-compliant approvals
Given the latest line-up of Housing ACT development applications for sites in Griffith that were thrown out by the appeals tribunal, the question is who has taken responsibility for these defective proposals for social housing.
Continue reading No one takes responsibility for ACT Housing non-compliant approvals
The ACT planning chief has failed the residents of Canberra
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
Challenging questionable development approvals
There has been a load of rubbish spread around about what happens when residents challenge decisions by the ACT Chief Planner.
Continue reading Challenging questionable development approvals
Greenslabor hopes that no-one noticed the deregulation of planning
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
ACT Government sidelines climate issues
someone else does climate in the ACT
The most obvious stuff up about the release of the November 1 media release on the Planning Reforms is that what is being proposed does not recognise that planning and development are the most basic keys that the ACT government should be using to deal with urban climate issues.
Developers blame selfish residents
The lies told too often
Most mainstream media articles about developments in RZ1 residential zones regularly include developers or their loyal followers who will criticise Canberra’s elite NIMBYs. Continue reading Developers blame selfish residents
Woden town cramming continues
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
ACT Government has morning tea
while more trees come down!
Last week, the ACT Environment Minister, Rebecca Vassarotti, announced her draft action plan about the loss of mature trees.
ACT Politicians need to talk to Watson residents
Once ACT Greens and Labor politicians become very important ministers in the ACT government, their contact with real people diminishes.
Continue reading ACT Politicians need to talk to Watson residents
Analysis of the ACT Light Rail Stage 2
An important paper to be circulated
Attached is a must read document: Analysis of the ACT Light Rail Stage 2 project.
Federal elections and the ACT candidates
will Zed Seselja survive this time?
ACT voters are about to select three lower house and two Senate politicians to represent this territory’s interests nationally.
Owls, old trees and the ACT Government
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.
The good and bad of Consultation
During a recent Inner South Canberra Community Council meeting, a topic mentioned by several speakers was one of the fundamental problems with the ACT planning system.
NCA propaganda fools the ABC
When a government exercises significant influence over media outlets, propaganda and alternative facts easily become the message that people hear.
the ACT tram light rail hoax
Government delivers for developers, again
Throughout history, the growth in government propaganda is linked to increasing authoritarianism. The more they lie, the more they concoct alternative facts to justify dubious actions and to distract from real intentions.
woden Valley Community Council issues
ACT Government fails on planning, again
When it comes to infrastructure and planning issues, the Woden Valley Community Council continues to have difficulties having real discussions with this ACT Labor/Greens government.
suburban biodiversity
I recently sat on the pictured bench and pondered the shrubbery and trees planted in several clumps on a mound in a Downer park.
Nature is messy
increasing biodiversity to the suburbs
There are many open spaces in Canberra that could be doing far more for biodiversity.
the trees of Ainslie don’t cast shadows!
ACT Government planning up to old tricks
This tale points to how bad planning has been corrupted by the ACT Labour Greens coalition government.
The NCA can stop the tram going south
The National Capital Authority (NCA) finished 2021 on a low note. Not that would surprise those who have recently dealt with the NCA.
ACT Government too busy for community issues
In November Liberal MLA Jeremy Hanson proposed the ACT Legislative Assembly meet for longer than the allocated 35 days for 2022.
Continue reading ACT Government too busy for community issues
ACT Government fails own climate actions
Rhetoric alone is not climate action
Once upon a time, Canberra tourism included views of tree-lined suburban streets. That was Canberra as we knew it – a city in a landscape. The ambience was greenery and open spaces.
What happens in Sydney – happens here
Book Review: Killing Sydney: The Fight For a City’s Soul
Elizabeth Farrelly’s new book “Killing Sydney: The Fight For a City’s Soul” is a must-read for anyone with an interest in their local planning issues.
Yes Minister! rules ACT Government
ACT planners review their own rules – not joking!
Canberra residents care for their homes, their streets, their suburbs and wish that the urban environments and facilities were maintained and enhanced for future generations.
National Capital Authority failures
NCA continues to be tricky
There’s a new level of frustration within Canberra’s community groups with how the ACT government conducts itself on planning and development.
The ACT Government spins about trees again
More spin about trees but nothing changes
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.
ACT Government hospital mismanagement
Woden Valley Community deal with serious issues
Woden Valley Community Council (WVCC) meetings have commenced the year 2020 with priority themes that are much the same as in 2019.
ACT Government on climate emergency
When an emergency is not an emergency
In May 2019 the ACT Government declared a climate emergency. The expectation would have been for high-profile urgent actions.
ACT Greens and Trees
ACT Greens throw stones at themselves!
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.
Be afraid, the barbarians are inside the gate
Warning! neoliberal labor at its worst
I wrote a piece about the barbarians now running the ACT’s government – click here for the piece in CityNews.
Traffic chaos delivered by Canberra planners
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.
ACT Government in conflict of interest
There’s a massive urban development on the western edge of Canberra (beyond Belconnen) called Ginninderry. There are a lot of good things being done by the developer at Ginninderry. But it is hard not to notice issues around the ACT government’s involvement as a partner. It is a very dubious arrangement.
I wrote about this in City News – click here.
Planning strategy of smoke and mirrors
People want the bad stuff to stop now
On December 5 our blessed planning minister, Mick Gentleman, ascended Mount Ainslie to hand down the 2018 ACT Planning Strategy. This was just another media performance to try to convince someone that this government takes planning serioulsy.
It does not.
Here’s my piece in City News on this silly performance.
Government shows no respect for residents
The news from the residential battlefront around the future of the community and cultural life of the Dickson area is not rosy. The government continues to lie…
I have written about this in City News.
Canberra needs a planning minister
Canberra desperately needs a real-life planning minister who works honestly with the people of the city to get great results. Unfortunately we have one who is not regarded as being a minister who does his job but rather sits on his hands and watches the city’s amenities being degraded
I have addressed this issue in a piece on City News
Hi-rise for another suburb
The suburb of Downer is the next inner-north Canberra suburb to be subjected to the reign of development terror from our “much-loved” planning authorities as they allow the developers free rein to maximise profits.
ACT Government ignores residents
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.
Climate Change
A country run by dangerous idiots
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.
Signs of intrigue within the inner north
First an update on the 2016-2017 ACAT appeal about the proposal to remove the carpark in front of Woolworths and to build an apartment and supermarket complex.
ACT Government makes a mess of consultations
The Dickson Parklands is an important site for the inner north of Canberra.
Continue reading ACT Government makes a mess of consultations
ACT Chief Minister fails urban basics
Downtown Singapore.
I have just spent three weeks in Singapore.
ACT Ministers: sustainability and housing
Being Turnbulled
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
Respect and Responsibility in planning and development
Someone needs to ask the ACT Planning Minister why the planning directorate continues to encourage local residents to form residents’ associations to oppose inappropriate developments.
Continue reading Respect and Responsibility in planning and development
Put landscape and biodiversity first
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).
Dear Minister for Town Cramming
Why are we so unfortunate here in Canberra to have a string of planning and urban development ministers who feel that it is their duty to say something regularly to upset those who enjoy a fantastic ambience within inner Canberra?
George Monbiot
backyards
Vanishing Australian backyards
leave us vulnerable to the stresses of city life
Emmanuel Macron
The world leaders are stepping forward! – click here for the story
MIT and Climate Change
MIT Speaks for Science & Climate Change
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!
Architecture – addressing the climate
Real sustainability arrives in Canberra
A wonderful sign of things to come.
Caroline Le Couteur MLA
Canberra’s planning system remains super complicated and out of reach of ordinary citizens.
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.
Climate change – it’s happening
Climate change’s signature was writ large on Australia’s crazy summer of 2017
Jonathan Jones
Jonathan asks the question of Barack Obama
How can Barack Obama smile at a time like this? I think he knows something. Click on the image for the story by The Guardian.
Trump and the Climate
Trump Orchestrates Major Shift on Climate and Environment
click on the image for the story on The Dirt.
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
Rebecca Solnit
Click on the image for the Guardian article
Climate Change, Trump and language
George Monbiot on Trump and the climate
click on banner for the Guardian article by George Monbiot Continue reading Climate Change, Trump and language
climarte
Acland Street Public Art Commission
Expressions of Interest are due by 5pm on 3 February 2017
Northbourne oh Northbourne
Local governments rarely get the opportunity to completely makeover and enhance the main entry to the city – and the city centre itself.
The climate is Turnbulled and now Trumped
Here’s a worrying view on Trump and the efforts to deal with climate change.
Climate, Trump-Abbott-Turnbull
An article about how this country has been there on the climate before Trump with both Abbott and now Turnbull. Click here.
George Monbiot
What to do–not to do–with a bowling club
This is a tale of an entrepreneur, a tree and a possible (lost?) good planning opportunity.
Being Turnbulled
Has Turnbull TRUMPed Abbott
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.
Trams for Canberra
Oh- what a silly debate – Trams for Canberra
The ACT Election is happening right now. Every forum or debate eventually gets hijacked by the Liberals in the campaign to oppose the tram. Continue reading Trams for Canberra
New Strain of Fact-Resistant Humans
Scientists: Earth Endangered by New Strain of Fact-Resistant Humans – click on image for story
Blame the Griffins – Really?
When about 250 citizens venture out on a cold night to hear about plans for the foreshores of West Basin one would expect that they would be taken seriously.
Dickson DA goes to ACAT appeal
Following the disappointing actions by the ACT Government to approve what remains a very questionable development application for a major mixed use development on the flagship shopping centre site in Dickson, appeals are being jointly lodged by the landlord of the Woolworths supermarket plus key local community associations.
Climate Change – a wake up call
click on the image for the story
Was that a dog-whistle, Chief Minister?
Sometimes the words of local politicians are a thing of wonder. Here’s a very curious story.
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.
Turnbull – FIZZA – housing
There’s a must read article on the lies and myths put around by the current prime Minister on the housing issue – sadly for the country and young people he is of course too close to the property lobby to fix this problem. click here.
Dickson trees
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.
Your place in community consultations
Here’s another sad tale about the ACT Government’s patronising attitude towards residents.
Being Turnbulled
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.