Pittwater Life October 2023 Issue

News
SEEN…
A succession of low 20-degree days with little wind presented
firefighters with the perfect conditions to undertake strategic
hazard-reduction burns across Sydney in early September –
with Mona Vale headland the focus. FRNSW deployed firefighters
from Mona Vale, Mount Druitt, Silverwater, Campsie,
Fairfield and Lidcombe around the half hectare coastal site in
a four-hour burn. Teams set up containment lines, bordered
by walking tracks and the cliff face to the beach, keeping
flame heights to three or four metres to ensure safe management
of the fuel load which was determined to be “extremely
high”. While the conditions were ideal for firefighters, the
ensuing days of smoke haze presented poor air quality for
Sydney – with the city rated the fourth worst in the world for a
couple of days.
HEARD…
Northern Beaches Council has defended its grant-funded
public art murals at Mona Vale, including the Mona Vale
Memorial Hall, in the wake of complaints from some residents
and criticism from community group ‘Friends of Mona
Vale’. Mayor Sue Heins told Pittwater Life that Council was
rolling out murals in Mona Vale (plus Curl Curl and Manly)
to kerb a spate of graffiti vandalism – with Mona Vale Village
Park and surrounds a key target. “The graffiti management
program is a research-based approach to reducing vandalism
and improving our public spaces,” she said. “Artists are
transforming laneways, streets and buildings with stunning
new artworks, and mentoring young people from across the
Northern Beaches as part of this program.” Mona Vale was the
major hotspot requiring clean-up – for the period 1 January
2022 to 5 September 2023, Mona Vale was the third highest
suburb location across the Northern Beaches with graffiti
removal requiring 696 hours and 4383 square metres. Mayor
Heins added the graffiti management program was separate
to the Mona Vale Place Plan. “This short-term, grant-funded
project does not prevent any long-term actions from the Place
Plan being implemented,” she said… Meanwhile a reader from
north of the Bilgola Bends, who wished to remain anonymous,
sent us the image below which highlights the danger faced by
commuters getting off buses at the bus stop opposite Careel
Bay shops, on the western side of Barrenjoey Rd. “There is a
large, uncovered ditch/drain on the side of the road… if you
didn’t know it was there you could easily fall into it when
getting off via the back doors. I have written to Council about
this since January… they said they were making a grate to
put over it but nothing has been done. It’s mind boggling!” We
have passed on the concern to local Councillors.
ABSURD…
Sniffing inaction by
the (relatively) new
Minns State Government
– who prior to
its election in March
promised it would act
to scrap to controversial
PEP-11 offshore
gas and oil exploration
lease – the holders
of the licence Advent
Energy have been
talking up progressing
steps to drill for
gas. Pittwater MP Rory
Amon says he is tired
of state politicians laying
the blame for the
ongoing saga on the
former Liberal State
Government. “Despite
claiming to be against
offshore gas and oil
exploration, the NSW
Labor Government,
Independents and the Greens chose to delay a ban proposed
by my Private Members Bill and sent it to a committee in June.
Absurdly, the committee is inquiring as to the environmental
impacts of PEP-11.” Mr Amon said the committee was not due
to report their findings until November 2023, meaning there
was unlikely to be any action until 2024. “In June, I said that
referring the Bill to a committee might mean that steps to
mine offshore gas and oil could be taken in the meantime. As
sure as day follows night, this month market announcements
were made by the owners of the PEP-11 license that they are
progressing steps to mine offshore gas. NSW Labor may protest
and circulate petitions against PEP-11, but the reality is
they are sitting on their hands doing nothing.”
32 OCTOBER 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991