The Weekly Times - TWT - 13th February 2019

6 THE WEEKLY TIMES Wednesday 13 February, 2019
Eastwood Commuter
Car Park Hijacked!
Dear Sir,
As a regular visitor to
Eastwood for business and
leisure, I’m appalled that
Ryde Council is attempting
to hi-jack the government’s
proposal for a commuter
car park and instead for political
reasons insist that it
be built at West Ryde.
This was the government’s
commitment for the Eastwood
community and not
West Ryde, which no doubt
also warrants such a facility,
but that’s an entirely separate
issue which should also be
considered in future planning.
Having a commuter car
park at West Ryde is of no
value whatsoever for the
Eastwood community.
A commuter car park at
Eastwood would benefit local
residents who are beyond
walking distance from
the station or not close to a
convenient feeder bus route.
It would also free up street
parking close to the station
for residents and their visitors.
It’s a further example of
Ryde Council’s disregard
for Eastwood, by seemingly
knocking back a gift from the
government.
What does that say about
its commitment to promoting
the development of Eastwood,
which is bad enough
already through its failure to
upgrade the Town Centre
Master Plan?
I’m sure if it was in Macquarie
Park, they’d have a
completely different attitude.
This brings us to the question
of where a commuter car
park in Eastwood should be
located?
In my view, the redevelopment
of the Glen Street car
park, or the Rowe Street
East car park for that matter,
should never have been considered
as an option.
Whatever development ultimately
takes place there,
it should be strictly reserved
for short term shoppers and
residents and businesses, if
included as part of the development.
I still believe that the original
proposal for a multi-storey
car park over the West Parade
bus interchange is the
best option.
It was the most supported
Letters to the Editor
option in the original consultation
process, although not
by a majority overall.
When the options are narrowed
down, I believe that it
would receive majority support.
It provides for direct under
cover access to the station
platforms, reduces the
pedestrian flow across West
Parade and also allows for
an upgrade to the bus interchange,
which had previously
been promised, but never delivered.
It’s already owned by the
government. It ticks all the
boxes.
I acknowledge that there
are potential traffic congestion
issues associated with
this proposal, as there would
be anywhere else, but it deserves
further investigation
to see if this can be resolved.
Abandoning a commuter car
park for Eastwood should not
be an option.
RAY LAVERACK
Epping
Impossible parking
In central Epping
Dear Sir,
Trying to park in or around
Oxford Street Epping is
nigh impossible.
With high rise apartments
going up all over the place,
parking priority is given to
builders and their vehicles:
concrete mixers, cranes,
trucks and the like.
No thought has been given
to the residents of this area
who want to go to the shops,
Post Office or railway station.
The old parking restrictions
still apply and the police enforce
the rules with vigour.
A further complication is the
Station Link buses and their
need for road space.
In all fairness, if the builders
can have special parking
rights, why can’t we, the
people who live here, have
our parking adjusted to meet
the new situation we find ourselves
in.
I should also point out that
this parking problem is not
just one week or one month,
but years.
Please have a look at the
parking and remove the restrictions
for those not in the
building trade.
BRIAN SWAN
Epping
LETTERS
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times.com.au
West Ryde traffic
aready bad enough
Dear Sir,
I, unlike Karl Stewart (TWT
30/1/19), I’m not enthused
about the commuter car
park at West Ryde station.
Although I’ve only lived in
West Ryde for 18 years, I feel
that the traffic in the area is
bad enough without encouraging
more cars on the eastern
side of the railway.
We already have Orchard
Road being used as a rabbit
run to avoid Victoria Road,
Goodwin Street is turning into
a lethal narrow roller coaster
street with cars accelerating
from the roundabout Anzac
Street to Terry Street intersection,
avoiding Blaxland Road
and Victoria Road.
Ryedale Road itself is a joke
as it’s full of bad bumps and
pot holes, I would hope that
some local traffic plans and
road repairs should be done
before the carpark is thought
of and don’t get me started
on the disgrace of the Woolworths
side of West Ryde!
Eastwood’s win is West
Ryde’s debacle. I also know
to protest is useless but I
don’t have to like it either!
SIMON HIRST
West Ryde
In or out of Paris
Agreement?
Dear Sir,
Viv Forbes argues for leaving
the Paris Climate Agreement.
What have we got
to lose if thescience, as he
states, “is not settled?”
If we expand the use of solar
and wind and hydro in producing
electricity, won’t we
end up with a cleaner environment
as the use of coal decreases?
Surely, it’s win, win?
Coal is not renewable –
HUNTER’S HILL COUNCIL
HUNTER’S HILL COUNCIL
EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
REVIEW BORONIA PARK AND RIVERGLADE RESERVE
PLANS OF MANAGEMENT
Council invites Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from suitably
qualified consultants to undertake a review of the Boronia Park
and Riverglade Reserve Plans of Management. Consultants can
respond to one or both EOIs.
Copies of the two Consultation Briefs may be obtained by
contacting Council’s Customer Service Centre on 98799400 or
accessing Council’s website www.huntershill.nsw.gov.au .
Proposals in writing must be lodged in accordance with the
requirements set out in the Briefs and must be received no later
than 4.00pm Friday 8 March 2018.
For further details please contact Council on 02 9879 9439 or by
email vollmerj@huntershill.nsw.gov.au
Lisa Miscamble
GENERAL MANAGER
once dug up, it’s gone.
As to scientific consensus
– between 91 and 97 percent
of reputable scientists agree
that we humans are causing
the increases in temperature
through pumping increasing
amounts of carbon dioxide
into the atmosphere. (A simple
check on Google will confirm
this.)
Yes, this gas is essential
for the growth of plants. But
it traps heat which would,
under other circumstances,
dissipate. Ask the good folk
of Tuvalu what this is going to
mean for them right now and
in the immediate future.
As to so-called computer
predictions. Let me quote
from an international report:
“Every one of the past 40
years has been warmer than
the 20th century average.
2016 was the hottest year on
record. The 12 warmest years
on record have all occurred
since 1998.
Over the past 130 years, the
global average temperature
has increased 1.5 degrees
Fahrenheit, with more than
half of that increase occurring
over only the past 35 years.
Detailed measurements of
atmospheric carbon dioxide
(CO2) levels have been taken
continuously since the late
1950s. The data show that
CO2 levels have steadily increased
every year. In 2017,
they were28 percent higher
than in 1959, the year CO2
measurements began at the
Mauna Loa Observatory in
Hawaii.
These are measurements,
not predictions!
Another questionable statistic,
Mr Forbes: contribution
of renewables to world energy
is, you say, about 3 percent.
But if you look at significant
markets you see a different
picture: the USA at 16.9 percent;
last year, Scotland produced
98 percent of its energy
needs from wind power; in
the first half of 2018, Germany
produced enough energy
through renewables to power
every household in the country.
It has set a target for its 80
million people of 65 percent
by 2030; Uruguay has almost
reached 100 percent (up from
40 percent in 2012.)
The list goes on.
Source:
www.climatecouncil.org.
au/11-countries-leading-thecharge-on-renewable-energy/
Mr Forbes’ second last
paragraph is just so much unproven
guff.
Unless we take active steps
now, our grandchildren may
have lots of green foliage to
admire assuming the floods
and fires haven’t destroyed
them first and the lower parts
of our cities haven’t disappeared
under the waves.
BOB SELINGER
Eastwood
Hypocrtical Density
Housing Code
Dear Sir,
I find it perplexing that the
Labor Candidate for Ryde
Jerome Laxale is continuing
with his public opposition to
the Medium Density Housing
Code.
It’s fair that he has his opinions
on it but if he wants to
stop it all he has to do is update
his Council’s LEP and no
longer allow for as much Medium
Density Housing as they
permit now.
Furthermore, the NSW Labor
Party did not oppose the
Medium Density Housing
Code when it was debated
in Parliament, claiming that
it was “largely inoffensive”
because Councils including
Ryde could voluntarily opt out
of it. In fact Bankstown Council
did opt out of the Code and
updated their LEP to reduce
the amount of Medium Density
Housing permitted.
If it was so easy for them,
than how come it’s so hard for
Ryde Council?
If Jerome is serious about
getting into Parliament it
might be useful if he actually
knew what his Labor colleagues
policies on the Medium
Density Housing Code
were.
JAY WHITE
Denistone West
Hunters Hill Guest Column
Soundings Federal Election
Forum in All Saints Church
ANGLICAN PARISH of
Hunters Hill will host a
forum between candidates
for the Federal
seat of North Sydney on
Sunday February 24 in
All Saints Church hall,
Ambrose Street, Hunters
Hill from 2.30pm to
4.30pm.
The Parish often hosts
such forums as part of its
regular series of seminars
called ‘Soundings.’
Soundings has a long
history within the Parish,
seeking to link contemporary
issues of the day with the
teachings of Jesus.
Soundings is therefore an
appropriate place for the
people of Hunters Hill to
meet with those who would
seek to represent us and
hear their views on a range
of issues and ask questions
about the way they intend to
represent us if elected.
* * *
CANDIDATES FROM
the Liberal Party (Trent
Zimmerman MP), the Labor
To The POINT
with Rev MICHAEL ARMSTRONG
Party (Brett Stone) and the
Greens (candidate yet to be
announced) have committed
to come and participate in
the forum.
Mrs Alice Oppen OAM,
who has convened many of
these forums, says that the
opportunity to participate in
our democracy and to ask
questions of those who seek
to represent us, is crucial if
we desire for candidates to
truly reflect our views and
to offer real leadership on
issues that matter.
* * *
MRS OPPEN further
reflected that previous
forums have been wonderful
opportunities to raise local,
national and international
issues with candidates and
to cut through some of
the rhetoric that we often
hear in media grabs and to
see and hear for ourselves
how well the candidate
may share our views and
therefore represent us in the
parliament.
I was asked about this
forum being hosted with the
Church and said Jesus never
backed away from raising
political issues with those in
power and as the Church we
too are concerned for those
who are especially poor,
marginalised or unable to
speak.
I believe these forums
are a great gift to our local
community and we seek to
host them in a manner that
is respectful to all, which we
know therefore allows the
candidates to speak with
further freedom and passion
than what they may do in
other forums.
REV
MICHAEL
ARMSTRONG
of the Anglican
is
Parish
Rector
of
Hunters Hill.
Hunters Hill group accuses our
local MPs of broken promises
OUR local politicians have been accused of broken promises and a failure
to remove the stigma on Hunters Hill as a municipality blighted by
radio active contamination.
Hunters Hill’s Nelson Parade
Action Group made the accusation
against Ryde MP Victor
Dominello and Lane Cove MP
Anthony Roberts on Friday in
response to a new $30 million
proposal - put to a meeting of
residents last week by Property
NSW - to concentrate high
and low levels of radio active
waste in residential Nelson
Parade and bury the concentrated
waste under concrete.
Although the bureaucrats regard
the concrete option as a
safe alternative on a contaminated
site owned by Property
NSW, the Action Group says
the latest plan fails to meet
resident demands to have the
waste removed and thereby
remove the stigma of Hunters
Hill being a contaminated
suburb.
“Under the new plan, contamination
would be permanently
encapsulated in the
street because the (combined)
level would be higher than any
radioactive material permanently
stored in New South
Wales ,” Nelson Parade Action
Group spokesperson Philippa
Clark said on Friday.
“Nelson Parade residents
are desperate for the state
government to remove the radioactive
material after years
of being trapped in un-saleable
homes, suffering anxiety
from the stigma and ongoing
stress from the government’s
endless hollow promises and
failure to resolve the issue.
“Even children are not allowed
to come and play here
because their parents are worried
the street is unsafe while
residents suffer mocking,
teasing and embarrassment.”
Mr Dominello is the Minister
responsible for Property New
South Wales and Mr Roberts
is the Minister for Planning
and both bear the brunt of the
Action Group’s anger.
“Minister Dominello wrote
to residents stating that they
are committed to remediating
the entire site by removing
the contaminated soil down to
bedrock,” Ms Clark said.
“Within a month, they broke
this promise and began planning
encapsulation on the site.
“This government has even
failed in its promise to the
people and parliament because
in 2009 following a Parliamentary
Inquiry, it promised
to remove all contamination
Hunters Hill Emeritus Mayor and Independent candidate
for Lane Cove Richard Quinn joined local environmental
activist Philippa Clark at Nelson Parade on Friday where
he spoke out against what he said was a state government
failure to remove radioactive waste from the
street’s contaminated site. TWT on-the-spot PHOTO.
but has chosen to do nothing
for 10 years.”
Mr Roberts has expressed
genuine concerns about the
issue during exclusive interviews
with The Weekly Times
but has not escaped criticism.
“Anthony Roberts has
been our local member for 15
years and his plan has been
to do nothing on a Nelson
Parade clean up for all those
years,” Ms Clark said.
“Under pressure of a looming
election, he has sought
to sweep the issue under
the carpet with a poorly conceived
plan to kick the issue
to the next generations.”
Hunters Hill Emeritus Mayor
Richard Quinn is an Independent
candidate for Lane
Cove at the March election
and has alleged the government
will not move the waste
to a treatment site in Western
Sydney for political reasons.
He said it fears a backlash
against the Liberal vote in
the Western Sydney marginal
seat of Mulgoa if the socalled
“silvertails” of Hunters
Hill were to have their waste
moved west.
“The waste site at Mulgoa is
handling more toxic contaminated
waste on a daily basis
including waste from overseas,”
he said.
“So burying the waste in
Hunters Hill is a political decision
by a government driven
by politics,” he said.
“This is a short term political
fix, not a solution and I strongly
believe you will not remove
the stigma on Hunters Hill until
you remove this hazardous
waste.”
Property NSW bureaucrats
have previously stressed
that their actions have been
driven by a desire to find the
best and safest outcomes but
Philippa Clarke agrees with
Mr Quinn.
“Their plan to encapsulate
under concrete is driven by
political considerations and
the brief to Property NSW was
to find the solution with the
least political pain.”
“There was no expert informed
decision making, no
solution driven by environmental
priorities, no meaningful
community consultation
but only a plan that politicians
thought would get them
through this election without
media attention.”
Hunters Hill Council’s position
is that the radio active
material must be removed
and Ms Clark said the Council
has been snubbed.
“The government showed
no evidence of listening to the
majority of residents who disagreed
with them and ignored
Hunters Hill Council’s unanimous
rejection of the plan of
encapsulation.
“The government has
shown complete disregard for
Hunters Hill Council whose
Zoning Regulations clearly do
not allow industrial structures
to be constructed in a residential
street.”
“Their plan is a very costly
option allocating $30 million
of taxpayer money to build
the encapsulation cell, an option
estimated by experts to
be much more expensive than
off site disposal in an appropriately
licensed facility.”