The release of the government’s Sydney Night-Time Economy Roundtable Action Plan is a move in the right direction, but doesn’t address the real problems facing Sydney’s nightlife and cultural industries.

Premier Baird admitted today in Question Time that the WestConnex acquisition process has not been ‘anywhere near as good as it should have been’.

The Premier highlighted that he has appointed Michael Pratt, the Customer Service Commissioner in the Department of Premier and Cabinet, to oversee a new process that will ensure that those affected by the Stage 3 acquisitions will get a more generous and caring ‘world’s best practice’ process.

The government-appointed Administrator of the Inner West Council, Richard Pearson, admitted at last night’s council meeting that his approaches to the Sydney Motorway Corporation have been met with complete intransigence, with the SMC effectively stonewalling Council. 

“The SMC has shown clearly that they are not prepared to negotiate in any way on even the most basic issues of resident’s safety. The Administrator stated publicly last night that he was extremely disappointed with their responses, and that in fact so far he’s got ‘nought out of ten’ on Council requests. This is appalling but not surprising,” said Greens MP for Balmain, Jamie Parker.

“Baird’s own hand-picked Administrator is being bulldozed - just like the residents of the Inner West - by this private company, set up by the Liberal Coalition government to ram through the tollroad at any cost and to operate outside the normal planning requirements of local and State government.” 

“The SMC has brazenly refused to apply to the RMS regarding Council’s proposal for a School Zone along Campbell Street in St Peters, because it is concerned that this may slow traffic along the street.  This shows a shocking disregard for our children’s safety.” 

NSW Fair Trading has released the Statutory Review of the Residential Tenancies Act 2010  in response to the 210 public submissions that suggested improvements to NSW rental laws earlier this year. 

The report signals a bleak future for NSW renters.

The University of New South Wales and the University of Sydney have signed a Heads of Agreement for the Sydney College of Arts (SCA) to merge into UNSW Art and Design.

The college at Callan Park, Rozelle, is set to transfer to UNSW Art & Design, with students set to complete their SCA courses at the UNSW campus in Paddington.

The largest single Roads and Transport Infrastructure budget item in the NSW Budget is WestConnex with $2.9 billion earmarked this financial year, with nearly $800 million for planning and pre-construction costs. 

"The Liberal government is committing billions to the wasteful and polluting WestConnex project but has failed yet again to deliver simple public transport improvements like accessible lifts at Redfern, Stanmore or Petersham railway stations, says Greens MP for Balmain, Jamie Parker. 

“The Liberal government is continuing its wasteful expenditure on this destructive 33 km tollroad which won’t solve Sydney’s congestion problems.

Greens Member for Balmain Jamie Parker MP and Greens Member for Newtown Jenny Leong MP are supporting RPA staff who are calling on hospital administration to ensure they have on-going access to childcare.

Last week parents using the hospital’s Lucas Street Child Care Centre were told it would be demolished to make way for a staff car park. The State Members for Balmain and Newtown are backing a petition that demands access to both parking and child care.

Jamie Parker MP, Member for Balmain, and Jenny Leong MP, Member for Newtown, issued the following statement:

On Tuesday May 24, 2016 a peaceful protest was held at the former Marrickville Council Chambers where the state government-appointed Administrator was to conduct the first meeting of the Inner West Council.

There had been an overwhelmingly response from residents in our electorates since the government announced on May 12 that it had sacked the elected councillors and forced the merger of Leichhardt, Marrickville and Ashfield councils. For the next 16 months, when 185,000 inner west residents will be without elected local government representation, the state government will push ahead with major projects like WestConnex, Parramatta Road Urban Transformation and Bays Precinct - each of which have significant impact on our inner west communities.

We attended the meeting as local Members of Parliament to stand with the communities we represent. Also present were former local Councillors and former Mayors. Hundreds of local residents attended the meeting and, while their opposition to the sacking of their elected councils was vocal, the vast majority acted reasonably and respectfully. Of course, we do not condone in any way spitting or aggressive behaviour. Those types of actions have no place in peaceful protest.

Member for Newtown and NSW Greens spokesperson on Sexuality and Gender Diversity Jenny Leong MP has welcomed the apology made by the Victorian Government to people with historical convictions for homosexual acts.

With the announcement by the Australian National Audit Office of their intention to audit WestConnex,  NSW Greens WestConnex Spokesperson Jenny Leong MP has called for an immediate halt to all work and funding of this controversial project.