Alice St Community Wins Development Battle
Media Release Residents on and around Alice St in Newtown are celebrating after the Land and Environment Court refused an appeal by the development company Al Maha to expand their Alice St development. Al Maha’s Development Application (DA) to add additional storeys to the block was refused by Marrickville Council twice earlier this year. Both Council and surrounding residents are concerned that development beyond the approved 5-storeys will be too high-density for the area, where public space, amenities and public transport are already under pressure.
Surprising News on Inner City High School
We were surprised to hear about a “Community Consultation” session happening tomorrow morning at Central Train Station in relation to the new Inner City High School planned for Surry Hills.
MP for Newtown Announces Boost for Inner City Cyclists
Media Release Greens MP for Newtown Jenny Leong today announced a win for inner city cyclists and bike commuters, with confirmation of 50 secure bike spaces to be installed at Redfern Station. This announcement is part of a NSW Government active transport initiative, which will install secure bike sheds at more than 40 train stations and transport interchanges around Sydney and surrounding regions. Ms Leong said, "This is a fantastic initiative for people who ride to Redfern station every day, giving them free, secure bike storage. “It’s recognition that bike riders are entitled to facilities like this as they are actively promoting healthy and sustainable commuter options and easing congestion on the roads.
Aboriginal Custody Notification Service delivered last minute reprieve
Media Release As Aboriginal and social justice campaigners gather in Sydney's CBD today, very positive news has been delivered that the Aboriginal Custody Notification Service will be funded until June 2019. The funding grant was due to expire at the end of this year but the Federal Government has committed to completely fund the service. The Custody Notification Service was a recommendation from the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and since its implementation there has not been a single Aboriginal death in a police cell or paddy wagon in NSW. This is an important win for the Indigenous Social Justice Association, Aboriginal Legal Service and other social justice campaigners who have been demanding that this important service is retained.
Redfern Station Lift Finally Operational
After years of community pressure by Lift Redfern and other groups, a lift is now operational at Redfern Station. It operates on Platform 6/7, giving access to the Inner West line.
Residents say no to ‘New Parramatta Road’ development plan
Last night Petersham Bowling Club was packed by local residents voicing their concern with the draft ‘New Parramatta Road’ transformation strategy for Taveners Hill, recently released by UrbanGrowth NSW. The draft strategy proposes demolishing hundreds of period homes in the residential streets of Lewisham and Leichhardt to make way for apartment blocks up to 12 stories high. Housing density will increase dramatically – the area is now home to 700 residents but the plan is to house 5500. Residents are rightly concerned that this will have huge impacts on the liveability of the area: putting pressure on schools and medical services; reducing public space; increasing traffic; and putting pressure on an already under-resourced public transport system.
Grinch Duncan Gay Delivers Community a WestConnex EIS for Christmas
Media Release The release of the WestConnex New M5 EIS today brings no holiday cheer to residents of Sydney’s inner west and inner south west suburbs. The NSW Government has released the New M5 Environmental Impact Statement just before everyone breaks for the year but it’s no gift to the residents, councils or organisations that will be forced to digest this massive document – made up of 149 individual multi-page attachments - during the holiday period. Submissions are due at the end of January, just as many families will be returning from summer holidays. NSW Greens spokesperson on WestConnex and Member for Newtown Jenny Leong is calling on Premier Baird, The Roads Minister and the Planning Minister to immediately review this decision.
Electorate Update #6: WestConnex in Parliament, Eveleigh Community Meeting, Save Marrickville Council
Government caves to Community Pressure and releases WestConnex Business Case Yesterday around one hundred residents directly affected by WestConnex joined me in Parliament, as we debated the 'Stop WestConnex' petition. More than 10,000 people from across Sydney and NSW signed the petition, which called on Premier Mike Baird to halt work on WestConnex until the full business case has been released and a parliamentary inquiry has been conducted. Today the much-delayed updated business case was finally released - thanks to the strong pressure from the community campaign. Read more and watch my Parliamentary speech here.
Who’s Hiding Behind the WestConnex Business Case?
Greens spokesperson for WestConnex Jenny Leong has called on Premier Mike Baird to immediately clarify the authorship of the WestConnex Updated Strategic Business Case, to allay serious concerns that the lack of attribution is so that the author can avoid liability or public scrutiny if the content is found to be flawed. “Before we have even begun a detailed assessment of the 320 page, heavily redacted, WestConnex Updated Strategic Business Case, it’s clear that there is a glaring omission: there is NO author.” “Unlike the 2013 WestConnex Business Case Executive Summary, which was attributed to the Sydney Motorway Project Office, this latest Business Case is not attributed to any individual, organisation or department. “Given the only identifiable marker on the document is a generic logo - “NSW Making it Happen” – it falls to the Premier to clarify who in the NSW Government is responsible.
Govt Caves to Community Pressure and Releases WestConnex Business Case
Yesterday around one hundred residents directly affected by the $16.8 billion WestConnex tollway came to Parliament House for debate on a ‘Stop WestConnex’ petition – which demanded the release of the business case. Today the NSW Baird Government released that much delayed business case. More than 10,000 residents from across Sydney and NSW signed the ‘Stop WestConnex’ petition, which called on Premier Mike Baird to halt work on WestConnex until the full business case has been released and a parliamentary inquiry has been conducted. Greens MP for Newtown Jenny Leong, who sponsored the petition, led the debate, congratulating the community for their tireless campaign. Ms Leong said: “The fact that the business case has finally been released today is the result of continued pressure from community members, local businesses and local councils who have come together to raise concerns about this polluting tollway.
Westconnex: Petition Introduced to Parliament
Today I was proud to introduce a petition signed by more than 10,000 people opposing Westconnex. The Greens stand with the community in opposing this wasteful and harmful project.
Community Recognition: Volunteer of the Year
Congratulations to the winners and nominees for the NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards.
Greens in Parliament: Stop the Attacks and Fund Tafe Properly
Today we called on the Labor and Liberal parties to stop undermining our Tafe system. It's time to stop the attacks and fund Tafe properly.
Liberal Government Refuses to Listen to the Community on Moore Park Development
Today the NSW Liberal Government refused to listen to the community on the Moore Park development proposal. We need to protect our inner-city green spaces.
Sydney Should Not Have to Sacrifice Precious Green Space for Needed Development
Today I called on the Government to halt plans to develop Moore Park and allow the community consultation already under way to take its course. The Greens do not believe the community should be forced to sacrifice parkland and green spaces for needed development.
