August 2008 Yarra Council report from Cllr Stephen Jolly (Socialist Party)



Residents,

The Council meeting last night was dominated by one issue and finished before 10pm, its earliest finish for some time.



Parking Meters in Yarra Boulevard, Richmond

Last night teachers from Melbourne Girls College (on the site of the former Richmond Secondary College) and workers and management from multinational company GE attended the Council meeting to lobby against a proposal to introduce parking meters along Yarra Boulevard. When GE was built a few years ago they told the Council they did not need to provide much parking onsite as their future workers would walk, cycle or use public transport. The Planning Department and the Council majority believed this spin.

Now, the huge number of cars on Yarra Boulevard on any working day shows this was not true.

The Council hopes to raise about $150,000 a year gross from these meters – and a lot less in net terms after the costs of installation, depreciation and maintenance are factored in.

The attendees last night, especially those on wages and salaries, explained that the Boulevard was used for parking by local workers not so much by shoppers and the change would mean a huge financial slug for them.

At the July Council meeting, I encouraged the multi-billion dollar GE company to increase the pay of their staff to cover the cost of meters. They came back with an offer to contribute about $30,000 a year to Council if they held off installing parking meters. This is less than the Council’s net profit on the meters, but GE management made clear to me last week that this was an initial ‘ambit’ offer.

The ALP and Green and Independent Councillors all supported the parking meters and were not convinced by the arguments of the local workers. I argued that both before and after meters, the street would stay the same during business hours – a long stretch of parked cars. The difference was that Council would raise money from the meters. Now GE was offering us that money without the need for meters. Their money would also protect Melbourne Girls College staff from meters too. I suggested officers try to negotiate an amount higher than the $30,000 initial offer and report back to Council next month.

The other Councillors ignored this suggestion and steamed ahead with meters in an 8-1 vote. Some even suggested that I was proposing the privatisation of public land. That would only be true if GE was suggesting that only their workers could park on the Boulevard – in fact no such suggestion was made.

I found it strange that the mover of the parking meter proposal was Green Councillor Gurm Sekron. I pointed out last night that one of the first times I saw Gurm was when he was standing on the back of truck with a megaphone in hand addressing a protest rally outside Piedemonte’s supermarket in North Fitzroy – arguing strongly against parking meters! That was 2002 and the Greens were not elected – now it’s 2008 and they are in office.



Questions without notice

I asked why residents had to sign a ‘stat dec’ every time they wanted a rubbish or recycle bin replaced. This was bureaucracy gone mad and I have asked officers to change this policy.

I also asked why we are the only Council in Melbourne allowing business parking permits, which are sometimes misused by businesses. I foreshadowed a motion for the September meeting restricting the use of business parking permits to business hours.



Hard Rubbish Collection

I tabled a petition of 185 names, plus one letter, calling on Council to reinstate the six-monthly hard rubbish collection when the new policy is reviewed later this year. There are more to come…

Rod Quantock: First Man Standing - Forty Years a Fool



One of Australia’s most prominent left wing comedians, Rod Quantock, has a new show playing at Trades Hall in Melbourne. It runs from August 6th – September 6th Wednesday – Saturday nights.



The show kicks off at 8pm every night and bookings can be made through Comedy @ Trades or tickets are available at the door. Prices are: $30 & $20 concession on Wednesdays & Thursdays and $35 & $25 concession Fridays & Saturdays.



For more information visit: http://quantock.com.a



Quantock supports many progressive causes. On this occasion Rod has generously offered to sell cheap tickets to the Yarra Campaign Against the Tunnel (YCAT) for a fundraiser! Details of the night will be available soon!



FIRST MAN STANDING is a walk down Memory Tollway (Rod remembers it when it was a Lane) with a foundation member of contemporary Australian comedy.



From his first routine in the Melbourne University Architect’s Revue to his musings on contemporary events, Australia’s most seriously funny comedian Rod will reprieve the things that have made him laugh for the last four decades and set a course for the next xx decades.



‘A national treasure.’ The Australian



‘We are sure his show is probably good but it clashes with our branch meetings at Trades Hall on Wednesday nights.’ The Socialist

Winter 2008 Newsletter from Councillor Stephen Jolly (Socialist Party)



Langridge Ward covers Fitzroy, Collingwood, Abbotsford, Clifton Hill, South Fairfield and Alphington



No Tunnel!

The State government is considering a recommendation of the Eddington Report to build a tunnel to the western suburbs starting at the Clifton Hill end of the Eastern Freeway.

The tunnel would cost over $10 billion and be used by the mere 15% of traffic that heads West from the Eastern Freeway. Homes in North Collingwood could be at risk from a tunnel and possibly also the proposed indoor sports centre at the Gas and Fuel site.

The tunnel project is a colossal waste of money to appease the road lobby.

We should this $10 billion to massively expand public transport. This would be much better for the environment and create more jobs.

SP has worked with residents and local groups to establish Yarra Campaign Against the Tunnel. To get involved or for more information, go to www.ycat.org.au



Budget blow

I voted against this year’s Council budget. 55% of residents will face a rate rise of over 6%. Child care fees have also been increased by over inflation.

Appeals for budget support from many struggling community groups have been ignored, yet $4 million was found for computers for Council and $6000 for a web site for Smith St traders. A progressive budget would include investment in sports and childcare facilities and campaign against cost shifting by federal and state governments.



Condell Park saved by community mobilisation

Community mobilisation recently saved Condell Park, Fitzroy’s only park.

In January, State government officals told Council they wanted to end the lease arangements and sell it off. A resulting campaign forced the government to back off. Congratulations to residents for saving this much needed park!



Clifton Hill keeps its Kindergarden!

VCAT has ruled in favour of the move of St. Andrews Kindergarden to Walker St, Clifton Hill!

This much needed Kindy is being forced to move from its current Gold St site - now it can relocate, rather than close.

This will be a great relief to local families.

As part of the plan to save the Kindy, the neighbouring Walker St Scout hall (which is also used by Spensley St Primary School and the Guides) will get a much needed refurbishment.

I am proud to have been part of the campaign to save St. Andrews Kindy and get it relocated to Walker St.

Well done to all involved!



Hard Rubbish

Council introduced Green Waste collections for the first time earlier this year, a change pushed for by residents and myself.

However at the same time the six-monthly Hard Rubbish collection was replaced with a personalised service where you have to ring Council for a pickup.

It is now clear that this change has been a mistake and residents want the street collection maintained.

Its loss has led to a rise in dumping. It is also environmentally crazy to have trucks picking up daily from individual homes instead of one big collection twice a year.

I haven’t yet got support on Council for a return of the regular collection, however there will be a review of the new system this October.

I ask all of you who want the Hard Rubbish collection reintroduced to contact me for a copy of the petition on the issue and also to email the Councillors at info@yarracity.vic.gov.au to let them know your views.

With such high rates in Yarra, there is no excuse for the scrapping of the six-monthly collection.



AMCOR site development

The massive AMCOR site on the corner of Heidelberg Road and Chandler Highway is about to relocate to Sydney.

In its place will be a massive development which will include homes for 6000 residents and probably a supermarket complex.

This development is in reality a new suburb for Melbourne.

We cannot expect Alphington Primary School and Yarralea Children’s Centre to cope.

I have been working closely with locals to ensure that new residents will have schools, childcare, open space and sports facilities on the site.

Contact me for more information on this issue.



Smith St and surrounding area issues

Before January, the Banco group will begin construction of their long

awaited development, approved by the State government who ignored local

demands a lower height.



On Stanley St, other developers are proposing an over-the-top,

nine-storey residential block. No wonder locals are up in arms, worried

about the parking, traffic, overshadowing and many other impacts.

These new developments do not include any social services or open space.

This will cause problems for the rapidly increasing number of residents

in the area.

I am working with local people to get Council to support their just

demands for appropriate heights and for environmentally-friendly, low

scale development instead of dense matchboxes...



In this years budget, Council decided to begin the process of

establishing an Aboriginal community centre on or near Smith St. Local

Aboriginal elders believe such a centre will go a long way to elevate

the issues surrounding public drinking on the street. Contact SP if you

want to be part of the campaign to push for this centre.





Re-elect Stephen Jolly on 27th November and support our other SP candidates

This November, Yarra residents will go to the polls.

I have worked hard to be a responsive and active Councillor in my first

term.

I ask you to consider voting for me in November and to actively support

my campaign.

With the Socialist Party and the local community working together we

have been able to win some very important victories.

We have saved the St. Vinnies food depot and St Andrews Kindergarten.

Green Waste and the Zero Emissions Policy were also won by the joint

work of residents and myself as a SP Councillor.

I have also been able to put the interests of public housing tenants

back on the political agenda.

Please consider voting for me to be re-elected in November so that this

work can be stepped up. If I am defeated the forces of conservatism in

our area will have a field day.

The Socialist Party will also be standing candidates in the other wards.

The SP team for the election includes Denise Dudley in the Melba ward,

Anthony Main in the Nichols ward and myself, Stephen Jolly, in the

Langridge ward.

If this team is elected in November you can be assured that we will be

in a much better position to fight for better services for Yarra residents.



If you can help our campaign on election day, or by letterboxing or

making a donation, contact the SP Office on 96399111.



Contact details

For Stephen Jolly

Phone: 0433113421 Email: stephenjolly99@hotmail.com

Web site:www.socialistpartyaustralia.org/council

Postal address: PO Box 1015, Collingwood 3066



For Socialist Party

SP in Melbourne meets every Wednesday at 7pm at Trades Hall, cnr Lygon

and Victoria Sts, Carlton South. All welcome. SP Phone: 96399111

Email: info@socialistpartyaustralia.org Web site:

www.socialistpartyaustralia.org. Postal address: PO Box 1015, Collingwood

Street address: 1st Floor, Trades Hall, cnr Lygon and Victoria Sts,

Carlton South

Residents

The latest issue of my six-monthly Council newsletter comes out in a few days time. Can you help letterbox in your area? If so, email SP or ring me on 0433113421.

Regards

Stephen Jolly

Residents

At long last VCAT has made its decision about the St. Andrews Kindergarten issue. Today they have upheld the Council's position supporting the relocation of St. Andrews Kindergarten to Walker St, Clifton Hill!

VCAT made a few minor changes eg ensuring landscaping under the windows of no. 83 Walker St and moving the front entrance of the Kindy onto Walker St - however the approval is there and we can now get cracking on ensuring St. Andrews moves from its current site on Gold St to its new site.

This decision ensures that the families of Clifton Hill and the surrounding area do not lose this vital kindy.

It also means that the scout hall next door will get its long-awaited refurbishment. This will be good for the scouts and the other groups using the hall, the guides, yoga classes, and Spensley St Primary School.

Well done to all those involved in this important victory for childrens services, for families and children in this area, and indeed for social justice.

Residents

Despite the cold and rain about 200 residents attended the Yarra Campaign Against the Tunnel's (YCAT) first-ever rally yesterday afternoon at Smiths Reserve in Fitzroy.

We had a great day with a sausage stall, a YCAT stall, a SP stall, we had Greens with their banners, and even the local ALP turned up with their freshly made 'no tunnel' banners - its amazing what an imminent Council election will do!

Rod Quantock and Corinne Grant were great MCs and the first speaker was Freda Watkin from YCAT who explained what the campaign was doing and why people should get involved.

Dr Paul Mees was next and he lambasted the State government's pro-road approach and he opposed the rail tunnel as suggested by Eddington. There are more important public transport intitiatives than this rail tunnel and Dr Mees said it was a cover for the real agenda of a road tunnel.

Local ALP MP Richard Wynne (he also has three ministries: Local Government, Aboriginal Affairs, and Housing) spoke next. The Age today described his speech as "carefully worded". He said if certain public transport initiatives were implemented then the road tunnel was OK. His neighbouring inner city ALP MP, Education Minister Bromwyn Pike, has been equally crafty - saying that as long as this or that park is not impacted on, then a tunnel is OK. It's like the man saying to God "I'll take the cancer, just so long as you guarantee it won't kill me".

Yarra Mayor, Judy Morton, spoke next and offered the full support of Yarra Council to YCAT and its work to stop the tunnel.

Green Upper House MP Greg Barber was next and he also clearly opposed the tunnel.

Dave Kerin, head of Union Solidarity, was the second last speaker and he explained the militant tactics undertaken by local and activists two decades ago to try to stop the last freeway battle in this area. He said we might have to do it again.

Last speaker was myself. I took up some of the arguments in favour of the tunnel "why spend $10 billion to build a tunnel for the 15% of traffic that goes west from the Eastern Freeway - that money should be spent on expanding public transport as it is cheaper, quicker, better for the environment and creates more jobs". I also tried to put the tunnel debate in the context of the fight for real action on climate change.

The mood of the rally was very good and we raised over $900 gross in cash on the day.

The next YCAT meeting is Thursday week, 7th August, 7pm at Fitzroy Town Hall. You are all invited.

Don't forget the YCAT fundraising gig at the Laundry nightclub, Friday 8th August. $10 entry.

Check out YCAT web site at www.ycat.org.au

We need $20,000 - Donate now!



This year has already been a busy one for SP. The election of the Rudd government has not solved any of the problems that were present under Howard. Attacks on the rights of workers, students, women, Aborigines and welfare recipients are all still happening.



Ordinary people are in desperate need of an organisation to fight against these attacks. Not only that, we need an organisation that does not just fight against the effects but the causes of the effects.



The Socialist Party has a proud record of involving itself in struggle and we have pledged to continue this tradition in the next period. Unfortunately the intense levels of campaigning work that will be required will not come cheap.



The Socialist Party is financed solely by donations from its members and supporters. We have no big business or government backers. To maintain our work we need resources and more members. The best way to make a contribution is to join SP but another way you can assist our work is by making a donation.



Our work and accomplishments over the last period have included:



-Maintaining the only elected socialist representative in Australia. Since the election of Stephen Jolly to Yarra Council in 2004, SP has spearheaded many community campaigns that have helped stop the push towards cuts and privatisation in the area. Stephen has also acted as a voice for ordinary people in the area. He has put the issues of public housing tenants back on the agenda. No other councillor has a record that comes even close to this.



-Campaigning on many environmental issues. For example we have been running regular campaign stalls on the issue of climate change since the beginning of 2008. More recently we have been linking the issue of the east-west tunnel in Melbourne to the environmental crisis. We don’t just talk about the problems we get our hands dirty and act.



-Being active in trade unions. SP members are actively involved in many unions. We have officials working for the ASU, CWU, NUW, AMWU and UNITE. Many more of our members are shop stewards or safety reps at their workplace. SP members play a key role in UNITE where with very little resources they work hard to unionise young people in fast food and retail. No one else is doing this important work.



-Organising several overseas guests to visit Australia and speak about important international events. This year alone we have had guests from Venezuela and Pakistan. In recent years we have organised several other tours. It is vital given the relative weakness of socialist forces in Australia to bring this international experience directly to a wider Australian audience.



-Being involved all of the major social movements of recent years. This includes the anti-capitalist movement, the refugee movement, the environmental movement and the anti-war movement. On many occasions our members have played important leading roles.



Building an effective socialist organisation will be no easy task. It will depend on the time, energy and resources of ordinary working people and young people. We are asking all of our supporters to consider making donation, be it once of or on a regular basis. This will help us build our organisation and our capacity to intervene in more social movements.



Our current goals include:



-Continuing to produce our newspaper ‘The Socialist’ every month.



-Improving our website and making sure it continues to be updated almost daily.



-Maintaining our full time organiser and National Office at Trades Hall.



-Organising our National Conference on October 10&11 and bringing over an international guest from Ireland to speak at it.



-Defending and extending our position at Yarra Council by running a professional election campaign in the lead up to November 29.



-To continue all of our work in community campaigns, the trade unions and the social movements.



To do all of this work properly we will need to raise an additional $20,000 between now and the end of the year. We are asking all of our members and supporters to help us out. No matter how big or how small we sincerely appreciate all the help you can give. With a donation of $50 or more you will receive a one year subscription to The Socialist.



There are several ways you can donate.



Donate by cheques or money order



Make cheques or money orders payable to Socialist Party and mail to PO BOX 1015 Collingwood Victoria Australia 3066.



Directly transfer money into our bank account



Our details for internet banking are:



Account name - Socialist Party

Account Number - 6782

BSB Number - 803 226

Fitzroy and Carlton Community Credit Co-op

Please put a note with your transaction saying Donation



Paypal



You can now also donate via Paypal using either your credit card or bank account. Click here to visit the donate page of our website.

http://www.socialistpartyaustralia.org/donate/



Comradely



Anthony Main

On behalf of the SP National Committee

Residents

This is a last minute reminder of the No Tunnel rally this Sunday, 27th July, at Smiths Reserve, next to Fitzroy Pool - from 1pm.

Corinne Grant and Rod Quantock are the two MCs and speakers include myself, Richard Wynne, Greg Barber, Judy Morton (the Mayor of Yarra), and Kathleen Maltzhahn.

Loads of food, drinks, music and entertainment for kids.



Details to get there: Map 2C Reference D5, in the park on Alexandra Parade Fitzroy, between Fitzroy Pool and Office Works.

Tram 112 from Collins St along Brunswick Road, get of at Alexandra Parade and walk east for 150m or Tram 86 From Burke St along Smith Street, get off at Alexandra Parade and walk west for 150m.



For more details email, or phone me on 0433113422 or go to YCAT web site at: www.ycat.org.au

Residents,



The Council meeting last night was dominated by the issue of the tunnel linking the Eastern Freeway to Melbourne’s west. A Channel 7 TV crew and the Herald Sun were in attendance alongside a big public gallery to cover the story of Yarra Council’s position on the tunnel.



Prior to the meeting the Yarra Campaign Against the Tunnel group (YCAT) held a rally outside to push for clear opposition to the tunnel. This action went live to air on the Channel 7 news at 6pm, with an interview with me and YCAT member, Keith. YCAT displayed their new banner for the first time last night.



Also lobbying the Council meeting last night were Aboriginal activists and supporters who were seeking a speedy establishment of a community centre for their people on Smith St, under indigenous control.



Council voted 9-0 to oppose the tunnel but an amendment to leave out reference to the rail tunnel proposal was lost 5-4 (with SP and Greens losing to the ALP and independents). No-one is necessarily opposed to the rail tunnel but there are many more important public transport projects needed, such as a rail link to Doncaster. Eddington only included this tunnel as a cover for the real agenda of the road tunnel.



My amendment to get Council support for YCAT and also for ‘No Tunnel – Yes to Doncaster Rail Link’ banners outside Fitzroy and Collingwood Town Halls was passed.



Richmond Town Hall forecourt

Council were asked in the confidential part of last nights meeting to spend $50,000 this year and $220,000 next year to beautify the forecourt of Richmond Town Hall. Council agreed, on the suggestion of myself and Cllr Maltzahn, to bring this debate into the public part of the meeting.



I voted against this recommendation as did the Greens. The motion got through with the support of the ALP and independents.



Only last month we concluded a public budget process which included a whole string of local community groups being knocked back in seeking a fraction of the money of this proposal. Now, a month after the budget and in the secret section of the meeting, Councillors are asked to hand over a quarter of a million dollars to spruce up the Town Hall!



The very same ALP Councillor, Geoff Barbour, who last month voted against putting $50,000 into the refurbishment of the community centre in Hodgkinson St, Clifton Hill (in his ward) was quite happy to approve over five times that amount for this non-essential beautification for Richmond Town Hall that includes “repaving forecourt with sawn bluestone and flagstone pavers; planting a row of striking Washington palm trees; feature granite paving banding for main entrance; new stainless steel hand rails; and simple feature granite paving bands, art work and seating at the entrance to the old police station”!



These Councillors are totally out of touch with the views of the community and we will be reminding residents of these decisions in the lead up to the Council election in November.



Hard Rubbish

I asked a Question without Notice on when was the review of the scrapping of the Hard Rubbish Collection. It will be in the October cycle of Council. Residents are outraged at this loss of service, especially when they are hit with massive rate rises this year.

I encourage all residents to phone, write or email Council and the local media before September with their letters of opposition. SP has a petition on the issue, contact us for to get copies.



Eastlink

I asked about the impacts of newly-opened Eastlink in our area, especially Collingwood. The cars are banking back to Easy, Gipps and even Langridge Sts now from Alexandra Parade from 3.30pm, where in the past this would not happen until 4.30pm. Council officers are gathering precise data on the increase in traffic in our area and I will be proposing the strongest possible measures to protect the local community.



Smith St Aboriginal issue

In public question time, a resident representing the local Aboriginal community asked pointed questions about when the community centre for will open and who will run it. The State government are now saying they will support such a centre but firm details are still not available. They are in no rush, despite the steady number of deaths amongst the local Aboriginal community. There is increasing pressure, as a result of the lobby and intervention last night from Aboriginal people and supporters, for Council to spend the money and set up the centre if the State government don’t act very soon. Watch this space.



AMCOR

Alphington residents attended last night and one asked a question on Council’s response to the upcoming development on the AMCOR site. This will be a new suburb and needs the necessary open space, sport and education facilities and children’s services to meet a new population of up to 6000 people. I encouraged local residents to mobilise independently through SAFCA to get up a log of claims for the development – they must not rely of the State Government, the developers, or the Council to put their best interests at heart.



Mayors for Peace

A leading doctor an anti-nuclear weapons lobby group addressed Council last night. He was supporting Cllr Farrar’s motion to continue Yarra’s ongoing support for Mayors for Peace. He pointed out that while the number of nuclear weapons had dropped from 70,000 to 26,000 since the collapse of Stalinism – there was more money spent on such weapons today than at the peak of the Cold War.



General Electric

Senior managers from the multinational General Electric (GE) company came to Council in opposition to the proposal for parking meters on Yarra Boulevard in Richmond. This issue is a complex one and will be decided at the next Council meeting. However, I pointed out to them that their company made US$22.5 billion last year (200 times the size of Yarra Council’s budget!) and if their workers faced parking metres, then GE was more than capable of footing the bill for them.



Council election

The Council election is on Saturday November 29th this year. If you can help our campaign, please email us or phone me on 0433113421. We need help on election day as well as help with letterboxing and donations. Thanks to all those who have donated so far, our fighting fund for the election is going well but we still need more if we are to run a professional campaign against the cashed up Labor Party and Greens.

From Yarra Campaign Against the Tunnel (YCAT):



Dear YCAT supporters



The media are very interested in our action at the Yarra Council meeting tonight. Louise Grace and others have been doing interviews all day.



Several news crews will be filming the action tonight. To make sure we get the best publicity possible we are asking anyone who is available to try to get to the Fitzroy Town Hall early.



The details are from 6pm onwards at the Fitzroy Town Hall corner of Napier and Moor Sts Fitzroy.

Please bring along your friends as well as any banners, flags and placards.



See you there

Residents

The 'No Tunnel' campaign in Yarra has now organised a packed public meeting last month in Fitzroy and last night had the second organising meeting. Come to the next meeting, next Thursday 7pm Fitzroy Town Hall.

Here's what happening:

The campaign is called 'Yarra Campaign Against Tunnel (YCAT)'

Rally called for Sunday 27th July, 1pm, at Smiths Reserve, next to Fitzroy Pool. Invited speakers include Tanner, Yarra Mayor Morton, Wynne, Jolly, Maltzhahn, Fristacky, (Rod) Quantock, Mees, (Corinne) Grant. Heaps of entertainment, food and stalls.

Benefit gig for YCAT, Friday 8th August, The Laundry, 50 Johnston St, Fitzroy - dub, ska and hip hop

We are attending Climate Change rally tomorrow - meeting 12.30 at Burke and Wills statue, City Square. AFTER RALLY (approx 3pm), we have called public meeting on the tunnel for rally attendees, 1st floor, Young and Jackson Hotel, opp Flinders St Station. Come along to hear why we oppose the tunnel and what you can do about it...

Write a submission of opposition to Tunnel to East-West Transport Options Review, DOI, GPO Box 2797, Melbourne 3000 (must be in by July 15!)

Check out YCAT web site and join up to email list for latest info at: http://www.ycat.org.au/

* Email YCAT at: notunnel@gmail.com

For more details ring me on 0433113421