Mayoral Minute Dec 06 re Strathfield Triangle

Text of Minute tabled at meeting of Council 12th Dec 2006 concerning 20-28 Leicester Avenue Strathfield: On Thursday 7 December 2006, the Inner West Weekly published an article in which Mr John Elias makes the claim that by refusing his development for a part four (4) and part two (2) storey development at his property at 20-28 Leicester Avenue, Strathfield he is being discriminated against.

Mr Elias also claims in that article that Mr Bechara, who also owns property in the Strathfield Triangle has been given preferential treatment.

Herald Article “How to do Business His Way”

SMH 13/6/2007:

Generous council decisions have helped Antoine Bechara develop a suburb, write Linton Besser and Kate McClymont.

FOR someone who has attracted so much controversy, Antoine Bechara cuts a respectable figure. The 45-year-old property developer dresses in beige slacks and a button-down checked shirt. His greying hair is cropped close, and he has a nervous habit of folding and unfolding his glasses. In conversation with the Herald – at a meeting to which he agreed on the condition it was not reproduced in print – he was earnest and agreeable.

Articles on the Strathfield Triangle Controversy

These two Herald articles are quite critical of Canada Bay Council:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/how-to-do-business-his-way/2007/06/12/1181414305886.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/a-triangle-of-odd-developments/2007/06/12/1181414305790.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1

In a Brisbane Times article Local Government Association President Genia McCaffery is reported to support “an inquiry into the City of Canada Bay Council about claims a developer received favourable treatment in Strathfield’s Golden Triangle.

“Following the Herald’s stories yesterday, Cr McCaffery said an investigation was needed to reassure the community. “The air needs to be cleared for all parties and for the community,” she said. “I think for everybody, the thing has to be investigated.”"

Liberal MP Chris Hartcher in parliament 6 June:

http://143.119.255.90/isysquery/1b0adeaa-9824-4bfb-a165-88f7db2e0aa0/62/doc/

Court judgement 30/3/2007 on the ‘illegal sale of community land’ to Bechara’s Company:

http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lecjudgments/2007nswlec.nsf/61f584670edbfb
a2ca2570d40081f438/13bc9f24cb65cbcfca2572ab00233794?OpenDocument

This judgement has the advantage of laying out in authoritative manner many of the facts concerning Chapman reserve but it does not cover all the complexities of the dealings in the Strathfield triangle over the years.

NB. I did speak with the Herald journalist about this issue but was evidently not very helpful due to my frankly limited understanding of all the details, much of which occurs before my time.

Affordable Housing Policy Now on Exhibition

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Council has recognised the need to facilitate affordable rental housing to help alleviate housing stress experienced by some individuals and families in the private rental market in the City of Canada Bay.

A draft Affordable Housing Policy and Background Information Report has been prepared for the administration of Council’s affordable housing dwellings. It is recommended that this Policy be endorsed for public exhibition with a view to replacing the existing Affordable Housing Policy when adopted by Council.

40th Anniversary of the 1967 Referendum

Mayoral Minute Council Meeting 5th June 2007: The 40th anniversary of the referendum on the proposal to include Aboriginal Australians in the constitution was held on Sunday 27 May.

Over 90% of Australians voted to support the changes, which gave the Federal Government the power to make laws specifically to benefit Aboriginal people, and to count Indigenous people in the census. Council is marking this important anniversary with a display at Five Dock Library, 4-12 Garfield Street, Five Dock. The display explores the background to the historic Referendum and acknowledges the Wangal, the original inhabitants of Canada Bay, and contemporary reconciliation issues.

Greens win Good Result in Drummoyne

“The Greens have again increased our proportion of the vote in Drummoyne”, said Bernard Rooney, Greens Candidate for Drummoyne. “With absentee and postal votes to be counted, our vote in 2007 is up to 9.17%.”

Greens on Ice

Letter to the Editor, Inner West Courier.

Re “Deal Goes Icy”, Inner West Courier, 20/3/7.

I am concerned at the impression created in this article that the Greens somehow condone drug and substance abuse, including ‘ice’. This is untrue. Our policy has been misrepresented by recent media reports and our political opponents.

The Greens recognise drug and substance abuse to be a serious social problem with a toll on users’ mental and physical health, as well as crime and corruption in the community. Our policies are designed to tackle this problem in the most effective way.

Canada Bay Council Supports Earth Hour Initiative

On the evening of 31 March 2007, the World Wildlife Fund-Australia (WWF) and Fairfax invite all Sydney households and businesses to turn off their lights for one hour at 7.30pm. This is Earth Hour.

“According to the Stern Report, we have no more than 10-15 years in which to address the crisis of global warming before runaway climate change sets in”, said Cr Bernard Rooney, who supported the Earth Hour initiative in Council. “It may not be fully appreciated that energy conservation – along with clean, renewable energy – is to be a major component of the response to global warming.”

Greens Committed to Bicycles

“I have received numerous emails from cycling enthusiasts regarding Greens’ policy on cycling”, said Bernard Rooney, Greens Candidate for Drummoyne. “I am happy to say that the Greens have a very strong policy on the use of bicycles as a method of transport.

Threat of M4 East looms over Drummoyne Electorate

“The State government will not rule out construction of the M4 East motorway extension from Concord through to Haberfield”, said Bernard Rooney, Greens Candidate for Drummoyne. “Roads Minister Eric Roozendaal is reported to have said (SMH, 2/3/7) that the the road was in the state’s 10 ­year infrastructure plan, but would not say what steps it would take in the next four years to get the project started.

“If constructed, this will have a deleterious effect on the Drummoyne electorate. Traffic will continue to increase, and more and more cars will be fed into the Concord, Five Dock and Haberfield areas.”