THE OAK TREE THAT WAS TURNS OUT TO BE A PLACEMARKER

"TREES ARE AS CLOSE TO IMMORTALITY AS THE REST OF US EVER COME."

Karen Joy Fowler

 

Launceston Environment Centre secretary John Wilson was accused of delaying the work by wandering into the work area. A hospital spokesman said that police had been called to the site after Dr Wilson had been told not to enter the work zone because falling limbs could cause serious injury. 

Dr Wilson said that the statement was "a downright lie" because when he arrived at the site all work had stopped. "I took some photographs and later walked across the area to give a media interview and was followed by two police who said that I was to keep out of the area," he said. Work did not start for several minutes after the interview was completed. 

The tree in the Ockerby Gardens cemetery was felled almost a week ahead of a schedule given by Mayor Janie Dickenson last week. Ald. Dickenson said that the intent was that the tree would not be felled until the helipad slab was poured. 

Discussions with the hospital authorities confirmed that no changes had been made to the location of the slab or the flight paths of the helicopters, which might lead to saving the tree, she said. 

Dr Wilson described the tree's removal as malicious because it was firstly ring-barked so that it could never be saved. Then it was felled just an hour ahead of the time that a group had made an appointment at the town hall to inquire whether the council had made an effort to contact families about the desecration of the cemetery. 

Bass Labor MHA Jim Cox said that people protesting over the tree's removal were "shedding crocodile tears". 

It was removed to make a safe flight path for the helicopter and to suggest its removal was desecrating graves was nonsense, he said. 

The tree was being removed carefully limb by limb, with the intention that its timber might be used in a suitable memorial, he said. 

However, branches were randomly slashed and allowed to fall without care as to how any of the timber might be used until, at the request of Launceston artist Ray Norman, Total Workforce manager Rod Sweetnam intervened and had the remaining pieces cut to useful lengths.

BACKSTORY: The intention was that in leu of the OCKERBYoak becoming so much firewood or wood chips it could be made available for artists, makers, whoever to have the an opportunity 'make stuff' from the  OCKERBYoak's wood – and celebrate the symbolism invested in this ONEtree. 

More to the point to attempt to use every last drop in a 'useful way'. Funding was found to mill what could be milled. Council used some in landscaping project – but not a lot – and somehow it seems much of it was 'mulched' and it also seems that some of the 'good stuff' found its way to who knows where and put to who knows what purpose. 

It appears that the concept was 'unsaleable' as the material/wood was not 'Tasmanian' and therefore 'administratively' it was best 'burnt or mulched'. A value judgement! It was not Huon Pine, Blackwood, whatever.

The question that goes begging, why was this so? The 'concept' was neither new nor novel and such administrative inhibitions hasn't stopped like projects elsewhere given the subliminal environmental implications. So, why is this so? 

https://www.abc.net.au/northtas/programs/drive/northern-tasmania-drive/102629038

https://www.abc.net.au/northtas/programs/drive/northern-tasmania-drive/102636130

TREE STORY REFERENCE LINKS

[1] [2] [3]

[4] [5] [6]

https://onetreeaustralia.blogspot.com/

CLICK HERE: Might this be a time to 'hav a go again?

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Stories from the city’s forgotten burial grounds 

In The EXAMINER ...  Zona Black Updated December 17 2016 - 4:01pm, first published 1:00pm 

 EARLY ON: The Charles Street general cemetery, pictured here in the 1860s, is now the Ockerby Gardens at the Launceston General Hospital. 

Picture: Archives Office of Tasmania 

Most of the 6000 people buried in Launceston’s Charles Street general cemetery are still there. To the naked eye, one would not know that Ockerby Gardens, adjacent to the Launceston General Hospital, was home to many of the city’s early residents. 

Some would be surprised, and perhaps even unsettled, to learn that many of the streets they traverse, parks they frequent or even houses they live in, are built on old burial grounds. Marion Sargent and Dianne Cassidy have spent years researching the “forgotten” cemeteries of Launceston. ...................... Ms Sargent is the president of the Launceston Historical Society, and Mrs Cassidy spent more than five years combing long forgotten records to publish a book that details those persons buried in the Charles Street cemetery. ...................... Through their research, they believe the city’s first cemetery sat on the corner of York and High streets, very close to where the Launceston School for Seniors sits today. ...................... The exact date of its establishment is not known, but Ms Sargent believes it must have been built very close to Launceston’s settlement date of 1806. ...................... One of the city’s other early cemeteries was in Cypress Street, Newstead, and belonged to the Anglican church. It was consecrated in 1823, and closed in 1906. ...................... The tombstone of Michael Fahey's at the Catholic cemetery at Connaught Crescent, Glen Dhu. Picture: Archives Office of Tasmania ...................... In contrast, the Charles Street cemetery opened in 1841, and took its final body in 1925. It’s believed about 30,000 people are buried at Cypress Street. Today, it’s used as a sports ground for Launceston Church Grammar School. ...................... It was the norm in this era for religious denominations to have their own cemeteries, and there were many segregated graveyards around the city. ...................... The Monash Reserve on Invermay’s South Street sits on the site of a former Jewish cemetery. “Listed, there are about 12 people buried there, but we know there are (more). So we are not sure of the final number … yet, ” Ms Sargent said. ...................... The former Quaker or Friends cemetery in Pedder Street, South Launceston, is one of the sites that holds the most interest to Ms Sargent. ...................... “There are 11 people buried there, and they’re still there,” Ms Sargent said, and added that a house now sits on the land. ...................... Other notable former cemeteries around the city include the Presbeterian Scotch Cemetery on High Street; a Catholic cemetery off Connaught Crescent, which has since been partially built over by a lawn bowls club; and the convict cemetery on Rose Lane, off Westbury Road. ...................... It is commonly thought that all prisoners who died in Launceston were buried at the convict site, but Mrs Cassidy said this wasn’t exactly true: “Some who were hung were sent out to Evandale and dissected.” ...................... There are 21 cemeteries in the Launceston area, but only one remains in use today: Carr Villa at Kings Meadows. When cemeteries closed down, or fell out of use, living relatives could arrange to have the headstones, even remains, moved to free plots at Carr Villa. ...................... It was an offer not seized by many relatives – Mrs Cassidy has found that of the 6000 people buried at Charles Street, 36 headstones were transported to Carr Villa, and just two exhumations were performed. ...................... In some circumstances, the choice of exhumation wasn’t there, such as at the small pox cemeteries at Barclay Place, Mowbray, and Techno Park at Kings Meadows. ...................... The bodies were, Ms Sargent explained, still infected with the disease. ...................... Some people might consider researching former cemeteries a morbid past time. ...................... But for Ms Sargent and Mrs Cassidy, it was a natural progression from their research work at the Launceston LINC. After following up many genealogy requests from community members, they found that many of the records listed for burial sites were wrong. ...................... The Charles Street general cemetery in transition to becoming Saint Ockerby Gardens, next to the Launceston General Hospital. Picture: Archives Office of Tasmania “It’s just fascinating, we just kept doing it and kept digging out more information,” Ms Sargent said. “You start researching something, and it just gets in your head,” Mrs Cassidy added. ...................... Mostly, their work focuses on recording the names of Launceston’s early residents and their resting places. They prefer to leave the stories of the deceased for their relatives to discover. ...................... However, along the way, they cannot help but find out some interesting back stories to the names that were once etched on the gravestones. ...................... Mrs Cassidy shared one of her favourite tales, which begins with one of the city’s most notable madams, and ends with an execution. ...................... “Ellen Sneezewell was shot and killed by a guy called George Braxton, who was the last man to be hung in Launceston, and he was buried in Cypress Street,” Mrs Cassidy said. It was 1822, and Braxton shot Sneezewell inside her York Street brothel. ...................... She was 34 and he was 60, and newspaper reports from the time indicate that they had a relationship that had turned sour. “Poor old Ellen, she was pretty much an invalid but she was still running the brothel,” Mrs Cassidy continued. “During the autopsy, the doctor noted that he could not find the bullets in Ellen because she was so fat. ...................... “And during the trial, George had snuck a cutthroat razor into his boot, and cut his own throat there in the court room.“Doctors came in and patched him up. Then they hung him the next day.” ...................... Ms Sargent said one of the sadder stories that she had discovered did not have a head stone at all. ...................... In the Catholic cemetery on Connaught Crescent was a large memorial for the McIver family, and it held the parents and three sons of the family. ...................... It was erected in tribute to Mary McIvor, she said, who died tragically at the age of 24. “She fell off (early Bass Strait ferry) the Black Swan,” Ms Sargent said. ...................... “She was a soprano singer, and was travelling to Melbourne to sing at the opening of St Patrick’s Cathedral. A big wave took her overboard. She had a young boy on her lap, too.” ...................... The boy was Edward Joseph Lowe, aged eight, and neither bodies were recovered. ...................... Aside from a small plaque here and there, or the remnants of a headstone, most of the early cemeteries are visibly forgotten. ...................... Carr Villa was opened in 1905, and has an interesting history of its own; Ms Sargent said the site used to be a farm, a school for girls, and an orchard. ...................... With the opening of the new cemetery, the city centre’s burial grounds were meant to wrap up by the end of 1905, but it was a slow process. Carr Villa was out of the way – three miles from the city, and there were no cars in those days. Launceston’s old cemeteries were finally put to rest themselves in 1925. ...................... In the 1930s and 40s, the cemeteries fell into heavy disrepair. Their churches no longer had the funds to maintain them, and they were a target for vandalism. ...................... Slowly in some cases, quickly in others, they were transformed into parks, or sold as residential plots. ...................... Legislation has since been passed that prevents former cemeteries being built on, but it is too late for some of Launceston’s early graveyards. ...................... The city really is built on its early residents. • After this article was published, Mrs Cassidy received an increase in demand for copies of her book Charles Street General. She will be reprinting the book in December. Orders can be made by emailing Mrs Cassidy on penders10@gmail.com 

https://www.geriwalton.com/the-london-burkers-body-snatchers-of-the-1830s/

CITY OF LAUNCESTON BUDGET: At what point does dysfunctionalism get to be called out!?

Adjustments to the 2022-23 City of Launceston budget have been made with a decrease in external funding and increased expenses pushing the books further into the red. However, the money has not vanished 

The amendments, which are expected to be ratified by councillors at their July 27 meeting, show that the overall deficit for the year was $9.09 million rather than the $4.9 million initially forecast. 

According to council agenda papers, this has chiefly been driven by $16.4 million of expected external funding that was not received alongside about $1 million in extra expenses.

Of the external funding that was not received $16.38 million is expected to flow this year, including $9.8 million for the Albert Hall upgrade and $2.8 million for the tennis centre. 

While balancing the books, council officers also reviewed capital works projects that were unable to move forward last financial year. These will not be carried forward into the upcoming financial year, however they will be paused indefinitely as and are set to be "reassessed in future years". 

Projects on hold include the north and south St John Street components of the Launceston City Heart project, which seeks to redevelop the precinct, and the ongoing renewal of stormwater mains. 

A total of $4.65 million has been deducted from the capital budget assigned to eight projects, and combined with the transfer of some capital funds to operational expenses reduces the overall capital works budget to $16.15 million.

10 QUESTIONS

1. At what point did management 'secure' Federal and State Government project funding allocations?
2. Why haven't these external budget allocations been delivered?
3. On what grounds have these funding allocations been withheld and/or not delivered as planned for?
4. When did it become known to Councillors – the constituents' representatives – that budget allocations were at risk and if there were delays what was the rationale for not keeping Councillors and constituents fully informed?
5. On what rationale has 'Council' serially imposed 'operational confidentiality' relative to operational fiscal matters?
6. Given the outcomes and evidence to hand, why isn't 'Council' initiating a root and branch reassessment of the City of Launceston's operational structure and its 'cost centres'?
7. When will Council share with its constituency a list of infrastructure and other projects that are being strategically delayed and/or abandoned?
8. When will Council consider strategic, formal and meaningfully engagement with experts in the wider community who posses qualifications and experience not present within Council's operational structure?
9. Short, medium and long term what are the realistic prospects of significant increases in rate demands across all ratepayers?
10. While Local Government should never speculate with ratepayers' funds, strategically, what alternative income generation initiatives are under consideration to assist in alleviating the city's fiscal stress?

COMMUNITY CULTURAL LANDSCAPING: To permit it or punish the cultural producers that's the question!?

PLEASE CLICK ON AN IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Melbourne's famous graffitied laneways are going green. Here's how greening permits could transform the city In short: Melbourne City Council is expanding a program providing "greening permits" across the city's laneways What's next? 

The program may grow from the four pilot laneways to include hundreds more 

CLICK HERE TON SEE THE ILLUSTRATED ARTICLE 

Birds chirping, an array of ferns, succulents and creepers, intertwined with sticker and graffiti art and the scent of daphne blossoms mixed with coffee: Welcome to Guildford Lane, a vision of what could be in dozens of Melbourne's famous laneways. ................. "It's a breath of fresh air. It's a haven," said 22-year-long resident Katherine McPherson.................. Melbourne is famous for its gritty, bustling, rebellious laneways.................. Hosier Lane, AC/DC Lane and Duckboard Place draw in millions of tourists every year, with an ever-changing rainbow of flashy and gritty street art. But there are some 1,700 laneways in the City of Melbourne and Ms McPherson, who like millions of others lives and works in the city, says life in a laneway can be "intense".................. "It's hectic," she said.................. "We've seen the change from deserted lane, really full of motorcycle maintenance shops … there were no cafes at that time. It was residential and mixed industrial offices.................. "There were vacant sites, demolition. It got really, really, intense … and we moved out for a short period of time." But she said now, the laneway life was "delightful".................. "It's like night and day," she said with coffee cup in one hand and watering can in the other.................. Five years ago, the City of Melbourne started a pilot program with residents and businesses to green four laneways: Coromandel Place, Guildford Lane, Katherine Place and Meyers Place. ................. It has cost more than $2 million and Lord Mayor Sally Capp said it was being expanded with the council rolling out a "greening permit" system to beautify potentially hundreds more.................. "There are just so many benefits to this green oasis," she said, standing in Guildford Lane.................. "It adds very much to individual health, community health, it's an incredible attraction and the broader benefits are that these greener laneways help us reduce heat island effect in the city and help us manage extreme weather effects, in particular storms.................. "We see here what's possible and we want to see more of that."................. Greening permits enable planning for the future A greening permit allows interested residents and businesses to plant an array of flora in their street, with council guidance and support.................. Darren Morgan moved from Mount Eliza to a CBD laneway a few years ago.................. "A big culture shock. No green, no bird life, no open space around the area," he said.................. "It was quite empty. Rubbish was getting dumped here regularly."................. That was despite his laneway being just metres from landmark and historic sites, like Caretaker's Cottage and the State Library. He and his Davison Place neighbours were the first to get a greening permit.................. Hanging pot plants now dot the street.................. From little things, big things grow.................. "It's still young. All natives, well predominantly natives. We wanted that to attract birds and we're starting to get lorikeets and we've got a resident currawong," he said with smile. ................. The council estimates its laneways equate to about 70 hectares of horizontal floor space for plant life but, counting walls, there are 150 hectares that can be used for greenery.................. Cafe/cocktail bar Loop Roof in the CBD has a large hanging wall garden and its co-founder Adam Bunny said it attracts a different kind of green. "It's a real green splash and beacon," he said admiring it from street level.................. "People get drawn along into the laneway and the beauty of that is they further explore what's in it and end up in our venue and other venues. "It was pretty rough and ready when we first set up here 20 years ago. ................. "This vertical garden, this green wall, extends from the rooftop to the street level and, aesthetically, it's quite stunning."................. But while there are big environmental and economic benefits, could it drastically alter the city, which is home to an active graffiti art scene? Banksys or banksias. What about art? ................. Melbourne's vibrant street art scene is not just colourful. It adds millions of dollars to the economy. ................. But the unregulated nature of it is the key, and development in laneways has gone awry in the past.................. Rare Banksy stencils were destroyed in AC/DC Lane in 2016.................. Councillor Capp said the council was not choosing greenery over graffiti but wanted laneways to evolve to offer unique experiences. "Street art is the most dynamic form of modern art," she said.................. "But greening our laneways is about enhancing those experiences, to add life, literally, and health for everyone. It can work together to expand and increase our reputation for our special laneways." ................. Guildford Lane attracts a few tourists too, happily taking photos of the ferns and succulents that, on closer inspection, coexist with stickers and spray-painted murals and messages. ................. Ms McPherson said she did not want the vibrant spirit of the city to change.................. "I love the city because of the vitality and unexpected nature of the city. The culture, the sport, everything that is quintessentially Melbourne. "But for me, it's not about the plants anymore. It's about the people.................. "The meeting, the connections, the learning. It's about meeting people in the lane and it's become a creative space for us." "There are just so many benefits to this green oasis," she said, standing in Guildford Lane.................. "It adds very much to individual health, community health, it's an incredible attraction and the broader benefits are that these greener laneways help us reduce heat island effect in the city and help us manage extreme weather effects, in particular storms.................. "We see here what's possible and we want to see more of that." ................. Melbourne's vibrant street art scene is not just colourful. It adds millions of dollars to the economy. .................. "But for me, it's not about the plants anymore. It's about the people.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MELBOURNE'S 

STREET ART AND CULTURAL LANDSCAPING

IN THE EXAMINER

SEE https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Examiner_%28Tasmania%29

Rabbi Yochanan Gordon from Chabad of Tasmania is calling on Launceston Council to urgently clean up swastikas graffitied in the Youngtown underpass on Hobart Road.

Rabbi Gordon said that "as a descendant of Holocaust victims," he was "appalled" to discover that his son had encountered several Nazi symbols in the underpass while walking the Launceston Urban Fringe Trail in May.

The Rabbi said his son "kept this distressing incident to himself" and that it wasn't until The Examiner reported on a spate of anti-semitic and white-supremacist graffiti in Longford that his son's walking partner mentioned it to him towards the end of May.

Rabbi Gordon said that he reported the incident to the council and received an email confirming the graffiti removal the following day. In June, a month later, he said he rechecked the area.

"To my horror, the symbols of hate were still present. I immediately responded to the original email and contacted a council member to ensure prompt action. A worker was dispatched the next day and painted over two of the five swastikas."

One of the swastikas in the underpass before it was covered up. Picture supplied.

"Unfortunately, the underlying symbols were still visible beneath the layer of paint. I contacted the council member again, and the workers returned to apply another coat of paint, reducing the visibility of the symbols. Nonetheless, the other swastikas remain."

The City of Launceston mayor Mayor Matthew Garwood says the council prioritises the immediate removal of hate speech and offensive imagery from its infrastructure.

Cr Garwood said the council responded to a report of several graffiti swastikas in the area in late May.

"Our cleansing team immediately removed all of the symbols it found, and again, in late June, the crews revisited the site to undertake further removal works," he said.

"The Council has returned to the site again on Friday, July 21, to attempt to locate any further alleged symbols.

"The City of Launceston has always - and will continue - to prioritise the immediate removal of hate speech and offensive imagery from its infrastructure."

Two swastikas currently remain visible in the Youngtown underpass.
Tasmania, like other states, has moved towards banning the Nazi symbol. The law came into force in June this year, prohibiting the display of the swastika (with certain exemptions) and the Nazi salute.

"Another month has passed, during which displaying these symbols has become illegal," Rabbi Gordon said.

"However, the Jewish community finds itself without proper recourse, as the council workers seem oblivious to the gravity of these hate symbols and are not treating the matter with the seriousness it deserves.

Launceston should be a place where all individuals feel safe and free to roam without fear. It is disheartening that individuals filled with hatred can deface our city with these symbols, and the council fails to address the issue with the necessary urgency and understanding."

Dr Dvir Abramovich, Chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission, said the acts were "not just vandalism by depraved and cowardly individuals" but a "frontal assault on all of us and core values of the people of Launceston."

Rabbi Yochanan Gordon with Northern Midlands Councillor Dick Adams near the Longford Legends Walk. Picture by Rod Thompson.

"Imagine how upset a Holocaust survivor would be when confronted with this emblem of extermination which they probably thought they would never see in their own lifetime."

Longford was struck with a series of swastikas, anti-semitic and white supremacist vandalism over several months this year, with much of it occurring near the Longford Legends Walk.

At the time, Rabbi Gordon said that he had seen similar vandalism in Launceston and the community had been cleaning it themselves or getting the local council involved.
Cr Garwood said the Council "values reports of this nature being made to us."

"We encourage people to include location information and photographs to help our crews locate any and all offending graffiti.

This can be done as easily as through the free Snap, Send Solve App which allows people to make complete and accurate reports to the Council including geolocation data and images."

COMMENT: 

AND THIS ONE MUST TAKE A GUESS AT IS LAUNCESTON'S 

PUNITIVE ANTI-GRAFFITI POLICY IN ACTION 

“People say graffiti is ugly, irresponsible and childish

... but that's only if it's done properly.”

― Banksy, Wall and Piece 

“Live as a villain, die as a hero”

LINK

THE TASMANIAN CRISIS: HOMES NOT HOUSES!

 

FROM THE EXAMINER: It wasn't so long ago that having a safe place to call home was something Tasmanians took for granted.

Whether buying or renting, the cost of housing was within reach for most if not all Tasmanians and the dream of owning a home was alive and well.

But, for thousands of Tasmanians and their families, skyrocketing rents and interest rates, combined with a lack of housing supply have taken the dream and turned it into a nightmare.

Every day I hear from Tasmanians who are desperately trying to find or keep a roof over their heads.

Life in Tasmania shouldn't be like this but this is the reality for the people contacting us every day in desperation.

There can be no doubt that Tasmania needs solutions now and Labor will help deliver them.

Labor wants to see more Tasmanians owning their own home, which is why we are expanding the MyHome program, boosting funding by $20 million.

This will see 200 more Tasmanians able to get a foot in the door of home ownership, allowing them to buy a home with a deposit of just two per cent.

The MyHome expansion policy complements Labor's other policies aimed at tackling the housing crisis at every part of the housing system, including our Build to Rent scheme.

A future Labor Government will ease the rental crisis by incentivising the development of 1,000 new private rental homes over five years, which will have to remain in the rental market for at least 30 years.

Labor will also regulate the short-stay market, rather than leaving it up to individual councils, including a pause on new whole-home short-stay permits, which will help prevent the loss of any more rental housing from the market.

We will also increase the supply of social housing by urgently repairing 215 houses that remain untenantable and therefore unused.

Each of these is in addition to the commitment to build 10,000 new homes in 10 years.

There can be no doubt that supporting renters and first home buyers, as well as increasing the supply of social and affordable housing, are the right priorities for Tasmania - and the Labor team and I will do everything we can to ensure every Tasmanian has a safe place to call home.

Rebecca White is the Tasmanian Labor Leader

THE STATUS QUO IS UNTENABLE AND UNSUSTAINABLE!

HOUSELESS IN TASMANIA

 

A young couple and their newborn twins have been saved from the risk of homelessness as Launceston residents grapple with the cost of living.

A "more suitable housing arrangement" was required before the twins could be released into their parents' care, and the couple had explored every avenue.

They secured a rental property and saved enough to make the rental advance payment, but were still short on their bond payment.

This was where the Salvation Army stepped in.

RELATED: Homeless pitch tent in Princes Square

"They'd exhausted all other options of seeking a no-interest loan scheme, sold some of their household possessions to raise the funds, and had sought help from elsewhere," Salvos Launceston Corps Officer Auxiliary Lieutenant Roderick Brown said.

"When they came to the Salvos we were able to help pay that bond payment for them, which meant they weren't passed over that property.

"It's a very encouraging story of preventing the risk of homelessness."

Salvation Army's Roderick Brown speaks to Labor MP Janie Finlay. Picture by Phillip Biggs ... The rising number of homeless is evident in Launceston's public spaces.

Tents have been pitched across Royal Park, off the Zig Zag Track in the Gorge, and most recently in Princes Square.

Auxiliary Lieutenant Brown said while the Salvos typically experienced a drop-off in demand during June and July, the organisation remained as busy as ever.

He said the cost of living crunch was disproportionately affecting those who were already "on the margins".

"Those experiencing primary homelessness - sleeping in their cars, sleeping in parks - are certainly becoming much more visible which would indicate that the numbers are increasing," he said.

"The crisis accommodation centres are full most of the time, so particularly if we have any families coming in with young children, it's very difficult to find anywhere to place them at short notice.

"We've had stories of people with disability living in makeshift caravans - it's really not conducive for wellbeing."

Bass Labor MP Janie Finlay said cost of living had become an issue among a growing range of demographics.

She said she had heard stories of children going to school and employees going to work after sleeping rough the night before.

"We know right across Launceston with all of the services there's increased pressure ... a lot of people that are experiencing concern now are perhaps experiencing it for the first time," Ms Finlay said.

"There's a whole lot of people that have never had to navigate this environment before - having that outreach to go and help people understand what's available [is important]."

Please consider donating to The Examiner's Winter Relief Appeal here.

THESEpeople ARE SIMPLY

SEEKING A HANDup NOT A HANDout

COMMENT: COME BACK SOON

SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE WITH kanamalukaTAMAR MUD

 

LINK TO VIDEO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pctYGwaqb2Y

PLEASE CLICK ON AN IMAGE TO ENLARGE

A WAY FORWARD IN A HOUSING CRISIS ... WATCH THIS SPACE

Will or can these people listen and hear something?

One Victorian council has eased regulations around tiny houses in a bid to address the current housing crisis. 

The council has removed permits for caravans, tiny houses and tents on properties that already have an existing dwelling and has placed no time limit on how long they can stay there. What role can tiny homes play in easing the current pressure on the housing market?

Guests:
Kathryn McGoldrick, Castlemaine resident living in a tiny house
John Cameron, Architect and Vice President of the Australian Tiny House Association

https://www.mountalexander.vic.gov.au/Home

https://www.esperance.wa.gov.au/

THE EXAMINER: The state's opposition parties say the government's proposal to take authority over some planning decisions away from councils signals that its war against the local government sector continues after having dropped a plan for forced amalgamations.

Labor's local government spokesman Luke Edmunds on Tuesday said Premier Jeremy Rockliff was a leader under siege and Liberals' new policy to give developers the option to have projects assessed outside council chambers appeared to have been made on the run. [Rather it says something about giving their support base a leg up away from scrutiny]

"Clearly this is not a policy grounded in hard work and having a thorough look at the issues, this is a policy announcement grounded purely in politics," he said. [Well spotted!]

"Jeremy Rockliff is under pressure. He's trying to pick some fights so that we can turn our attention to that." [The mother duck with a broken wing strategy]

READ MORE: 'Gobsmacked': Planning legislation proposal blindsides key stakeholders

Acting Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff earlier in the day labelled the reform an attack on democracy. [Rather it is an attack on inclusive transparent placemaking!!]
"Fundamentally this is about taking away from a level of local government the opportunity to have a say over developments in their sphere," she said. [Well spotted]

"This is exactly what developers dream about. This is all about giving corporate interests everything they want and making sure the community is effectively shut out." [Well spotted again!]

Mr Rockliff said the policy presented an alternative pathway for development assessment to proponents and councils. [He has bee talking to those pixies at the bottom of his garden again ... MMUST DO BETTER!]

"Tasmania councils will still undertake assessments and the community will still have their say, like they always have," he said. [BOVINEdust and are alarms are ringing very loudly!]

Mr Rockliff said the government was yet to determine how the public might appeal against decisions made by a Development Assessment Panel. [Sure, sure sure]

"We're working through the matters of that and will consult with the community and indeed local government on the best way forward," he said. [Well if he actually means this and he is actually talking about ACCOUNTABILITY & TRANSPARENCY weeeelll ... WATCH THIS SPACE!!]

PLANNING OR POLITICS THAT IS THE QUESTION

Liberals move to take politics out of planning in Tasmania

By Matt Maloney Updated July 18 2023 - 7:30am, first published 5:00am


Proposed new laws from the Liberals will give developers a choice over planning assessment.

Developers will be able to choose whether a council or an independent panel makes a decision on a particular project through proposed government legislation intended to the introduced to parliament next year.

Just two days after the government announced it would not pursue any forced council amalgamations as part of the state's local government reform agenda, Mr Rockliff announced the proposed legislation which could wrest some planning decisions away from councils.

He said the move would take the politics out of deliberation over certain development decisions and would assist in the delivery of 10,000 new affordable homes by 2030.

READ MORE: 'No forced amalgamations': Government puts issue to bed

"We will take the politics out of planning by ensuring that decisions are driven by the rules and not the vested interests or personal biases of individual councillors," he said.

"There are too many examples where critical land, housing or other projects are being stopped or delayed by ideologically motivated, party-aligned councillors and this is not good for Tasmania."

He said the legislation would not change the state's planning

"Councils will still undertake assessments and the community will still have their say, as they always have," Mr Rockliff said.

"This is simply about providing a second decision-making option."

Under the proposal, proponents would choose whether a council or a panel makes the final decision on their project.

Councils would have the option to refer a planning proposal to a panel or a planning decision to the Tasmanian Planning Commission.

Panels will be determined by the Tasmanian Planning Commission.

Mr Rockliff said the type and scale of projects eligible for the new process would be determined as legislation was development, but were expected to include housing, social housing and large-scale developments.

"A value floor will also be implemented for non-prescribed projects, including projects valued over $10 million in urban centres and over $5 million in rural areas," he said.

Draft legislation will be out for consultation later this year.

COMMENT: Remove the politics, well chance would be a fine thing. Who will it be who appoints' these "independent panels"? Upon whose expertise will these panels be relying upon? In whose best interest is the prescribed "value floor" there for? 

On one hand there is a glimmer of hope in the rhetoric but on the other once you start to drill down all you can see is 'THE BLOODY POLITICS'! 

Planning is all about PLACEMAKING and as much as that is about the creation of, and the protection os 'amenity' it also becomes 'political' when you take into account what a 'DEVELOPER' might think about amenity and the cost effectiveness involved in 'planning' for it. 

What a community seeks in the cultural landscapes, the cities, the towns, the precincts, etc. will always be at odds with what 'investment developers' seek ... PROFITS AT ALL COSTS.

It is early days and as they say in the bush 'WATCHB THIS SPACE'!

Launceston council not opposed to amalgamations but not without adjustments .... By Joe Colbrook Updated July 18 2023 - 8:03am, first published 4:30am City of Launceston councillors are not opposed to amalgamations, but there were some reservations. 

 While several regional councils got vocal on the prospect of amalgamation, City of Launceston councillors have taken a more moderate approach. ........... All councillors present at the July 13 meeting voted to approve the council's submission to the third stage of the review, which found all potential scenarios acceptable - with several provisos. ........... This continued with the recent Tasmanian Government announcement that amalgamations will be voluntary, with mayor Matthew Garwood claiming the City of Launceston was open to discussions with neighbouring councils about the future of local government in the region. ........... The current City of Launceston council area falls within the Tamar Valley community catchment outlined by the Local Government Board, who also offered four potential scenarios for local governments. ........... READ MORE: 'No forced amalgamations': Government puts issue to bed ........... In their feedback for each scenario, councillors and council officers stressed any reforms must prioritise "place-based local community representation". ........... Speaking at the meeting councillor Danny Gibson said the focus had to be on long-term goals, and called for neighbouring councils to have a full conversation about the prospect of merging. ........... "The objective of the review is to create a more robust and capable system of local government for the benefit of all Tasmanians," Cr Gibson said. ........... READ MORE: Getting to know Matthew Garwood, Launceston's new mayor ........... "We saw recently some local government council areas are putting their rates up 10 per cent. That is not going to be sustainable and reflect well on local governments into the future. ........... "Here is an opportunity for us to have a conversation. You can get hung up on the drawing of the map, or you can actually conceptualise the future of local government into the future long after we finish our roles." ........... Strengths identified in the scenarios included opportunities to better manage the kanamaluka/River Tamar estuary, better connection of metropolitan areas, and the potential to equalise funding levels in the region. ........... Downsides included a loss of representation in a larger municipality, and concerns some individual suburbs may not have their needs met by the new council. ........... READ MORE: 'No substance' to rumours of giving up health role, says Premier ........... Councillor Tim Walker was reserved in his support and said although the scenarios made sense from several standpoints, drawing new municipal boundaries would not necessarily solve existing issues. "No matter where the lines are put, (it will) create the same problems that already exist today that we're talking about trying to solve," Cr Walker said. ........... "We will just move that demarcation point further abroad. There are things that are still not addressed as much as we might like to think that we can address them." ........... Other councillors, like Alan Harris and Andrea Dawkins raised the prospect of service sharing and improved workforce resources but Cr Harris noted the support stopped shy of fully-centralising council services. ........... Mayor Matthew Garwood said conversations around the future of local government needed to be "rational and considered" as the community navigated a complex review process. ........... The mayor said the focus needed to be on ensuring local government in the state remained "representative, effective and fit for purpose" rather than simply drawing lines on a map. ........... "There are clearly opportunities for greater regional strategic planning and development, but also challenges in ensuring local voices are not lost," Cr Garwood said. ........... "The City of Launceston remains open to discussions around how it can continue to work with our neighbouring councils, the valued relationships we have and - as always - any way in which we can resource share or the like, for the betterment of our communities."