Submission to the City of Sydney’s Late Night Trading Project (Cumulative Impact reports)

The 2011 Residents Association today sent its submission to the City of Sydney’s Late Night Trading Project. This submission includes commentary on suggested City responses to the two Cumulative Impact Reports.

We invite all other organisations making submissions to make their submissions public.

NSW Government’s policy response to reduce alcohol-related violence

The NSW Government issued a media release on 9 July 2009 on its actions to attempt to reduce alcohol-related violence associated with licensed premises (see the media release entitled “Restrictions continue to curb alcohol violence” at http://www.premier.nsw.gov.au/Newsroom/Articles/2009_Articles/090708_Restrictions_continue_to_curb_alcohol_violence.html).

Key elements of the policy are that premises with which there have been associated 8 or more assaults in the previous 12 months will be subject to additional obligations. There are to be three bands – level 1 (19 or more assaults) have the most stringent obligations similar to those imposed on the “list of 48 premises” currently, level 2 (12-18 assaults) will have lesser obligations, and level 3 (8-11 assaults) have fewer obligations – they will be helped by OLGR to “strengthen alcohol and security management”.

For the sake only of completeness (and not to advertise the policy), the complete media release is over the fold.

Letter to the editor of the Wentworth Courier

Below is a letter to the editor of the Wentworth Courier published in the 22 July 2009 edition.

Dear editor,

Although it wasn’t reported by The Whisper, the 2011 Residents Association invited City of Sydney Councillors to explain why they voted to extend the Sugarmill Hotel’s outdoor seating in Springfield Mall.

Crs Di Tornai and Irene Doutney replied thoughtfully, but Cr Shayne Mallard demanded the 2011 Residents Association justify its e-mail to Councillors. This was surprising as our e-mail reflected what locals had told us, and we had worked well with Cr Mallard on other issues (e.g. on sewerage in Elizabeth Bay).

Sydney Buses admits to removing part of the 311 bus service to make timetabling easier – Central Courier

The 15 July edition of the Central Courier has a very interesting story about why Sydney Buses removed part of the 311 bus service in Elizabeth Bay.

The story includes the following:

Sydney Buses has admitted to removing part of the 311 bus service in Elizabeth Bay to make timetabling easier.

At an East Sydney community meeting last week, a Sydney Buses representative said cuts to the service in April were part of a new “efficiency’’ drive by the Ministry of Transport for the Eastern Suburbs.

When locals asked if the service could be reinstated, the representative said it would take months to redo the timetable.

City of Sydney Council approval of the Sugarmill Hotel’s use of Springfield Mall for outdoor seating – e-mail to Councillors

E-mail sent to all City of Sydney Councillors on Wednesday 8 July 2009

Dear Councillors,

Local Kings Cross residents were disappointed to learn that seven Councillors voted in favour of the Sugarmill Hotel’s application to use Springfield Mall and only two Councillors voted against the application.

It is unclear to locals what net benefits the outdoor seating yields. Locals have told 2011RA that anti-social activity (e.g. drug dealing) has been partially displaced from Springfield Mall into Springfield Ave and Darlinghurst Rd. However, the net benefit of this displacement, if anything, seems completely unclear.

The detriments to locals though, is obvious, as you have heard from many of them. It is unclear then why Councillors made the decision to support the application.

311 bus campaign – 25 June residents meeting with Clover Moore MP

Local residents and representatives of the 2011 Residents Association met with Clover Moore MP, the local MP in the Legislative Assembly, on Thursday 25 June 2009, to discuss the changes to the 311 bus service.

Four representatives from the 2011 Residents Association were able to go to the meeting with Ms Moore, her electoral officer, and a council transport officer at Parliament House.

*Ms Lesley Holt presented the Legislative Assembly petitions to Ms Moore on behalf of residents. Ms Moore assured representatives of her concern and commitment to the cause of retoring the bus route.

Council considering proposed renewal of Sugarmill Hotel Footway Usage Approval – Springfield Mall, Kings Cross at 1:30pm, Monday 29 June

The City of Sydney will be considering the application by the Sugarmill Hotel for a reissue of the Footway Usage Approval to use part of Springfield Mall on Monday 29 June.  

The application will be considered at the meeting of the Council’s Corporate, Finance, Properties & Tenders Committee scheduled to start at 1:30pm.

Council’s correspondence advises: “Should you wish to speak on this matter, you are advised to register with the Secretariat (telephone 9265 9519) by 12.00 Noon, Monday 29 June 2009.”

311 bus campaign – NSW Legislative Council supports the campaign

The Legislative Council voted on 24 June 2009 to support the goals of the 311 bus campaign.  Lee Rhiannon (The Greens) successfully moved a motion (motion 198 on the 24 June 2009 Notice Paper) which was supported by the Legislative Council.

Imre Saluzinsky commented on this Legislative Council vote in an op piece in The Australian on 26 June 2009.

The Greens issued this media release about the Legislative Council vote.

The Legislative Council debate on the 311 bus is here.

311 bus campaign – update from 22 June meeting with the Minister for Transport

Locals met with the Minister for Transport on 22 June 2009 regarding their concerns about the changes to the 311 bus service. Below is an account of the meeting.

The Minster for Transport the Hon. David Campbell met with a delegation from the 2011 Residents Group and the Darlinghurst Residents Action Group on Monday to discuss reinstating the 311 bus route. The Ithaca Road, Billyard and Onslow Avenue loop at Elizabeth Bay has been cut and the stop at Circular Quay moved to Gresham Street.

At last – City of Sydney adopts consistent timetable with Woollahra Council for dogs being allowed off-leash in Rushcutters Bay Park

The 2011 Residents Association welcomes the City of Sydney deciding to align the times during which dogs can be off-leash in its section of Rushcutters Bay Park with the Woollahra Council section. This is important as the two Councils control adjacent sections of the one park and a consistent timetable for dogs off-leash is important for all park users.

We brought this matter to the attention of Council in our submission on the then-proposed dogs off-leash policy in February 2008. We wrote in that submission:

…we note that dogs are currently allowed to be off-leash in the Woollahra Council section of Rushcutters Bay Park from 4.30pm – 8.30am each day and are required to be on-leash at other times. We bring this to the City’s attention as Rushcutters Bay Park, while controlled by two different Councils, is essentially one park, and the City of Sydney should be mindful of the implications of this on the behaviours of park users when setting its policies.