#sydney city council

[qnewsau]

“I love the work. I’m a worker”: QNews meets Clover

New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/i-love-the-work-im-a-worker-qnews-meets-clover/

“I love the work. I’m a worker”: QNews meets Clover

She turns 79 next month – a fact seized upon by her detractors – but ahead of the NSW local government elections, QNews finds Sydney Lord Mayor Cover Moore bursting with energy and determined to keep Sydney in independent hands.

Interview by Peter Hackney.

Sydney is a city of landmarks: the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge, Anzac Bridge, Sydney Tower, the QVB …

Landmarks don’t come in human form but if they did, Sydney Lord Clover Moore would surely qualify.

Moore has been integral to the fabric of the city since 1980, when she became an alderman at South Sydney Municipal Council (later subsumed into the City of Sydney).

She became Sydney’s first female Lord Mayor in 2004 and is by far the city’s longest serving mayor since the local government area was established in 1842.

Even Moore’s biggest detractors will admit she’s been good for Sydney in many ways.

Sydney today is greener, more pleasant and better connected than it was in 2004. Full of sparkling facilities, it boasts libraries, community centres, swimming pools, cycleways and parks that didn’t exist when she came to power.

George Street, once choked with cars and diesel buses, has been transformed into a pedestrianised, tree-lined boulevard with light rail running down the middle.

Mover over, Clover

But despite her successful stewardship, some say it’s time for Moore to go.

She turns 79 in October, a fact seized upon by her detractors, who claim she’s too old and should step aside for younger candidates with fresh ideas.

Many of the brickbats come, predictably, from major political parties.

The City of Sydney is a glittering prize: the beating heart of modern Australia and the nation’s economic engine-room. It’s galling for the Labor and Liberal parties that, despite their immense power, an independent councillor can keep them from controlling the place.

Moore has beaten her mayoral challengers five times to date. Each time, they’ve employed different tactics. This time, her opponents’ main argument seems to revolve around one thing: her age.

Typical of the sentiments are those of Lyndon Gannon, the Liberal Party councillor vying for the top job.

“After 20 years under Clover Moore, it’s clear – the City of Sydney needs new leadership,” he said in a July media release.

“The City of Sydney is the youngest local government in the state, with a median age of 32. It needs a candidate that understands the challenges they are facing, and their aspirations.”

Even more pointed were comments he made last month, after council staff cut outdoor night-time trading at Woolloomooloo’s Old Fitzroy Hotel by two hours (the decision was quickly reversed after Moore ordered a review).

“Just because Clover is in bed by 8pm doesn’t mean the rest of Sydney has to be,” he sniped in The Sydney Morning Herald.

It’s a similar story over at the ALP.

In a recent ABC News interview, Labor’s Lord Mayoral candidate Zann Maxwell pointedly stated: “There are people who are voting in this election who weren’t even born when Clover Moore first became Lord Mayor.”

But do these criticisms stack up? Is Clover Moore too old? Or are her rivals tapping into ugly tropes in an ageist society? After all, the Australian Human Rights Commission has found that ageism is the most accepted form of prejudice in Australia.

Clover Moore pictured at Wimbo Park, Surry Hills trying out one of the new in-ground trampolines. Photo: Nick Langley/supplied.

‘The work energises me’

Surely, someone is only too old for their job if they’re mentally or physically unfit for it. That seems far from the case when QNews meets Moore at her Town Hall office.

In fact, the first thing that comes to mind is that you’re meeting the political equivalent of the Energizer Bunny. She bristles with energy; ideas for the city’s future surge forth like the tides pulsing through Sydney Heads.

Asked where this drive comes from, she’s quick with an answer.

“I love the work. I’m a worker,” she says. “I love city making.

“Buddha gave advice to his followers. He said, ‘Your work is to discover your work and then with all your heart give yourself to it.’

“And Teddy Roosevelt said, ‘One of the greatest prizes in life is to work hard at worthwhile work.’ Poor Paul is sick of me saying this,” she laughs, nodding towards Paul Mackay, her senior media advisor working across the room.

“I find this work incredibly worthwhile. It energises me.”

She also attributes her vitality to exercise and a vegetarian diet.

“I think walking really is key,” she says, adding that she often walks to work from the Redfern flat she shares with her husband Peter and their two dogs, Bessie and Buster.

“I walk to work as often as I can. That’s my favourite way of getting there. I have a coffee at a cafe called Shuk, with Peter and Bessie and Buster. Then they go off in one direction and I go in the other.

“We’re building a fabulous bike lane in Oxford Street and I check that out, and I go through beautiful Hyde Park. And on that morning walk, everyone who speaks to me is very positive and I arrive at Town Hall feeling very good.”

Of her diet, she says: “We run City Talks at the City of Sydney and some years ago we had (philosopher and animal rights activist) Peter Singer. I walked out of that and looked my Peter in the eye and said, ‘We won’t eat meat anymore.’ And we haven’t except that Peter has diabetes, so he’s introduced a little bit of chicken into our diet. But I prefer a vegetarian diet.

“I think it’s those things and the work that keep me going.”

Why run again?

Still, she’s been Lord Mayor for two decades. She was also MP for the electoral district of Sydney (formerly Bligh) in the NSW Parliament from 1988 until 2012, when former premier Barry O’Farrell’s ‘Get Clover Bill’ banned dual membership of parliament and local councils.

Surely at some point, enough is enough?

“I’m running again because there’s still more work to do,” Moore says emphatically.

She specifically names “two key projects that are left to do”: the revitalisation of Chinatown and the revitalisation of Oxford Street.

“We’ve done a lot of work on both and we’re really ready to go in terms of those precincts being transformed. You’ve seen the transformation we’ve done in George Street? From Town Hall down to Haymarket, it’s just buzzing now, day and night. People tell me, ‘You could be in Hong Kong.’

“Now we’re going to transform Chinatown and Oxford Street.”

Clover Moore at the opening of Butterscotch Park in Rosebery in May. Despite being Lord Mayor for 20 years, she says there’s “more work to do”. Photo: Katherine Griffiths/supplied.

Chinatown

The first known Chinese immigrant to Australia was Mak Sai Ying, who arrived in Sydney in 1818. Chinese migration to Australia kicked off in earnest when the Australian gold rushes began in 1851. A vibrant Chinatown sprung up around The Rocks, moving to its current location in Haymarket in the 1920s.

By the 1980s, when David Bowie filmed scenes for his China Girl music video there, it was easily the biggest Chinatown in Australia and one of the biggest in the Western world.

But recent years have seen some of the shine come off the area – a fact Moore readily acknowledges.

“Haymarket and Dixon Street seemed to really suffer during Covid,” she laments.

“People just didn’t come near those precincts and so we’ve done a lot of work, a lot of consultation, a lot of discussion and we’ve come up with a new plan that’s been endorsed by all the various groups and figures in Chinatown, Haymarket and Dixon Street.”

Restoring the Chinatown gates, grants to businesses to do up their shopfronts, new lighting, public art and funding for a new music, art and light festival, Neon Playground, are all part of the plan.

Oxford Street

Revitalising Chinatown is one thing. Fixing Oxford Street is quite another.

Once considered the main street of LGBTQI Australia, it’s perhaps best described these days as an unappealing traffic sewer. It’s typified by flailing businesses, empty shops and people slumped in doorways.

At a Lord Mayoral candidates’ forum held at the National Art School in Darlinghurst on 27 August, it seemed that all the candidates – from the ALP, Greens, Liberal, Libertarian, Socialist and Yvonne Weldon parties – were united in blaming Moore for the state of the strip.

A case to support that notion can be made. It’s true that Oxford Street has declined under Moore’s watch.

What’s also true is that the nature of the LGBTQI community has changed in that time, not just in Sydney but in many places. Similar stories about the decline of the ‘gaybourhood’ are heard in London’s Soho, the Marais in Paris and the Castro in San Francisco.

With the rise of LGBTQI apps, the community simply doesn’t need to congregate in gay bars and clubs to meet anymore. And with an increased acceptance of varied sexualities and genders, many people don’t feel the need to live their lives in a rainbow bubble.

In addition to changing demographics, Moore cites “online shopping, the lockouts that Barry O’Farrell imposed and the lockdown that came with Covid” as challenges affecting the strip.

Despite the negativity, she’s upbeat about the prospects for Oxford Street, where hundreds of millions of dollars are being spent transforming three heritage-listed city blocks owned by the City of Sydney.

“The city struggled to get the right group in to take over those buildings,” she admits. “But we ended up signing a 99-year lease with (investment firm) AsheMorgan.

“They’ve got to restore those really interesting early 20th century buildings – and because of the new planning controls we’ve introduced, which gives developers increased floor space if they include creative and cultural uses in their buildings, we’re going to get that cultural creative space and then on the ground floor and in the laneways at the back, we’ll get retail.”

Moore compares the deal to the successful 1980s arrangement the City made with Malaysian firm Ipoh Garden at the QVB.

“Ipoh Garden had to restore and renovate the QVB as part of a 99-year lease agreement and oversee the various commercial activities happening there. It was really in a bad state when they took it on – and look at it now.”

She says the Oxford Street cycleway, new landscaping and a reduction in traffic speeds to 40 kilometres an hour will also enhance the strip.

“Both Oxford Street and Chinatown are special projects I want to see come to fruition during this next term,” she says.

A strong relationship with the LGBTQI+ community has been a feature of Clover Moore’s career. Photo: Nick Langley/supplied.

The rainbow connection

No matter what one thinks of Moore’s stewardship of Oxford Street, there’s no doubting her commitment to the LGBTQI community.

So closely aligned is she with LGBTQI causes that critics have used homophobic language to describe her. Working in toxic newsrooms in the ’00s and ’10s, this journalist has personally heard her described as “the patron saint of cocksuckers” and “the high priestess of poofs”.

Even more shocking was the ugly incident on 16 December 2003, when Moore was Member for Bligh. While handing out prizes to schoolchildren in the playground at Crown Street Public School, she was attacked by a woman who rained punches down on her, while calling her a “lesbian bitch”.

Moore recalls that her relationship with the LGBTQI community began “very early” when she was a young mother living in Redfern, trying to improve the neighbourhood.

“I started out down Bourke Street with a baby in a pram and a three-year-old holding on to the pram, with my handwritten petition to try and do something about the fast-moving traffic in Bourke Street,” she says.

“And a lot of the friends I met at that time were gay. They were moving into an inner-city area before it had been discovered or loved and they really gave me lots of support.

“We formed a little community group and started trying to do things in the local area, and they became very good friends. And then, of course, when the AIDS crisis came, I got very involved in that, particularly with people like (the late actor and HIV activist) Tony Carden.”

As Member for Bligh, Moore campaigned hard for beds for AIDS patients in Ward 17 South at St Vincent’s Hospital. It was a lifeline for the community during a deeply homophobic era, when hundreds of young gay men in Sydney were sick and dying.

“Sad, sad, sad times,” she recalls.

Happier times were also part of the picture, including Moore’s early involvement with the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

“I was the first person in the NSW Legislative Assembly to go to Mardi Gras, and everyone at Parliament said that I’d never be re-elected – and of course that didn’t happen at all, and they all lined up to go to Mardi Gras when they found out it was worth money to the economy,” she says.

“I’m so grateful for my very good friends in the community. They’re great fun, with a great sense of humour. Good to be with, you know? An important part of my life.”

Moore and more

Her plans for Chinatown and Oxford Street, as well as the day-to-day remit of rates, roads and rubbish, are more than enough for anyone to be across but Moore is keen to talk up even more proposals.

The City has planted more than 17,000 trees under her watch and she says more are on the way.

“We’ve planted probably as much as we can on footpaths now, so now we’re doing median strip planting on streets that are wide enough,” she says.

“I’m very proud – well, I don’t like to say proud, because that sounds arrogant – but I enjoy our trees very much and they’re really going to help us during accelerated global warming.”

Social and affordable housing is also important to Moore, despite it being the province of state government. She says collecting levies from property developers, selling City land to community housing providers at subsidised rates and agreements with developers for a proportion of social and affordable housing in new developments has “enabled over 3,000 homes to be built and we’ve got another couple of thousand in the pipeline”.

Even the City of Sydney’s official flag is under her microscope, with the Lord Mayor stating: “The 1908-designed City of Sydney flag does not represent all that we are. It is based on the City’s former Coat of Arms and contains no acknowledgment of First Nations People.

“It centres on colonial maritime history, the impact of which is particularly poignant here in Sydney – the first site of invasion.”

She says the flag is now under review, along with “all of the City’s emblems, symbols and public domain (including colonial statues) to inform an update”.

Clover Moore pictured in Kepos Street, Redfern in the 1980s and 2020s. She has been a strong proponent of greening Sydney throughout her career. Photo: Lord Mayor Clover Moore/Facebook.

Succession

Despite her seemingly boundless energy, even Moore acknowledges that she can’t be Lord Mayor forever. While she tends to avoid talk of succession, she confirms to QNews that she does indeed have a strategy for a post-Clover Sydney.

She compares it to her plan for the seat of Sydney, when the ‘Get Clover Bill’ forced her to choose between being Lord Mayor or being in state parliament, and she resigned from the latter.

“I want to make sure that someone who is independent and community-based and progressive will keep all the fantastic work going as my successor and I would endorse that person,” she reveals.

“When the ‘Get Clover’ legislation was passed by the Coalition, Alex Greenwich got in touch and it became clear that he could be someone I could hand the baton to. And I did hand the baton to him and at that first election, people supported Alex because I endorsed him. Because they knew who I was and I had established trust,” she says.

“I believe the same will happen with the mayoralty; that the person I endorse is going to continue the progressive, independent, community-based work that we do.”

Pressed on who that person might be, she replies: “There are a number of people who I think could do that.”

Pressed further, she smiles. “My focus for now is on winning this election.”

And barring a political earthquake the likes of which Sydney has never seen, that’s exactly what she’ll do.

While some pundits predict her Clover Moore Independent Team could lose its council majority at this election, even her fiercest critics believe Clover Moore is about to win an incredible sixth term as Lord Mayor of Sydney.

The NSW local government elections will be held this Saturday, 14 September 2024. 

[bluewinnerangel]

FITF Tour exit songs

- NA LEG - Uncasville: Tina Turner - The Best

Gilford: The Smiths - This Charming Man

Laval: Petula Clark - Downtown

Toronto: Bryan Adams - Summer Of '69

Cuyahoga Falls: The Verve - Bitter Sweet Symphony

Sterling Heights: Shed Seven - Chasing Rainbows

Cincinnati: The Killers - All These Things That I've Done

Columbus: R.E.M. - The One I Love

Indianapolis: Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart

Maryland Heights (St. Louis): Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode

Kansas City: Van Morrison - Moondance

Milwaukee: Johnny Nash - I Can See Clearly Now

Chicago: Earth, Wind & Fire - September

Minneapolis: Sinéad O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2 U

Council Bluffs: Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)

Sioux Falls: Don McLean - American Pie

Seattle: The Smiths - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

Vancouver: The Police - King Of Pain

Troutdale: Elvis Presley - Always On My Mind

Berkeley: INXS - Never Tear Us Apart

Los Angeles: 2Pac - California Love

Las Vegas: The Killers - Human

Phoenix: Spear Of Destiny - Liberator

Irving: The Doors - Hello, I Love You

Austin: Wheatus - Teenage Dirtbag

Houston The Woodlands: The Police - Walking On The Moon

St. Augustine: The Police - Every Breath You Take

Hollywood: Elton John - Your Song

Tampa: Pat Benatar - Hit Me With Your Best Shot

Atlanta: The Rolling Stones - You Can't Always Get What You Want

Nashville: Duran Duran - Hold Back The Rain

Charlotte: Lou Reed - Perfect Day

Raleigh: Van Morrison - Moondance

Columbia: Commodores - Easy

Boston 1: Boston - More Than A Feeling

Boston 2: Pixies - Here Comes Your Man

Philadelphia: Sinéad O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2 U

Asbury Park: Bruce Springsteen - Dancing In The Dark

New York: Queen - We Are The Champions (dj elf asked a fan to pick between this one and David Bowie - Heroes)

- EU & UK LEG - Hamburg: Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart

Copenhagen: Queen & David Bowie - Under Pressure

Oslo: Green Day - Wake Me Up When September Ends

Stockholm: The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army

Helsinki: Elvis Presley - Always On My Mind

Tallinn: Smash Mouth - All Star

Riga: AC/DC - Thunderstruck

Kaunas: Elvis Presley - Can't Help Falling in Love

Krakow: Iggy Pop - Lust For Life

Łódź: Ramones - Blitzkrieg Bop

Vienna: Oasis - Supersonic

Ljubljana: The Killers - Smile Like You Mean It

Budapest: Bloc Party - Helicopter

Bucharest: Foo Fighters - My Hero

Sofia: Rage Against The Machine - Bombtrack

Bilbao: Pixies - Where Is My Mind

Lisbon: White Lies - Farewell to the Fairground

Madrid: Editors - Munich

Barcelona: At the Drive-In - One Armed Scissor

Turin: Lenny Kravitz - Are You Gonna Go My Way

Bologna: Bloc Party - Helicopter

Luxembourg: Pixies - Where Is My Mind

Antwerp: Queens Of The Stone Age - My God Is The Sun

Paris: Biffy Clyro - Bubbles

Amsterdam: Blur - Song 2

Cologne: The Libertines - Can't Stand Me Now

Prague: Jet - Are You Gonna Be My Girl

Berlin: The Cure - Friday I'm in Love

Munich: Fatboy Slim - Praise You

Zurich: The Strokes - Last Nite

Dublin: Inhaler - These Are The Days

Sheffield: The Killers - Mr. Brightside

Manchester: The Smiths - This Charming Man

Glasgow: The Snuts - Gloria

Brighton: Ramones - I Wanna Be Sedated

Cardiff: T. Rex - 20th Century Boy

London: The Libertines - Can't Stand Me Now

Birmingham: Boyz II Men - End Of The Road

- ASIA & AUS LEG - Jakarta: Iggy Pop - Lust For Life

Melbourne: Jet - Are You Gonna Be My Girl

Brisbane: The Temper Trap - Fader

Sydney: Oasis - Rock 'N' Roll Star

- LATAM LEG - Panama: Hard-Fi - Living for the Weekend

San Juan: Pixies - Where Is My Mind

Rio de Janeiro: Nirvana - Heart-Shaped Box

Like last time the plan is to keep editing this post as tour goes on - 2022 LTWT here

Apple music playlist here

[28mindgames]

Tank Tops: Cuyahoga Falls - Columbus - Chicago - Seattle - Los Angeles - Phoenix - Austin - Woodlands - Charlotte - Boston N1 - Philadelphia - New York - AFHF 2023 - Hamburg - Lodz - Vienna - Ljubljana - Budapest - Sofia - Bilbao - Turin - Bologna - Antwerp - Amsterdam - Berlin - Dublin - Sheffield - Manchester - London - Jakarta - Brisbane Graphic Tees: Gilford - Sterling Heights - Kansas City - Vancouver - Berkeley - Las Vegas - Irving - Atlanta - Raleigh - Boston N2 - Asbury Park - Lisbon - Barcelona - Prague - Glasgow - Birmingham Collared Tops: Uncasville - Laval - Cincinnati - Saint Louis - Milwaukee - Council Bluffs - Hollywood - Nashville - Oslo - Helsinki - Madrid - Paris - Cologne - Munich - Brighton - Cardiff Brand Logos: St. Augustine - Tampa - Copenhagen - Stockholm - Tallinn - Riga - Athens - Luxembourg - Zurich - Melbourne - Sydney Blokecore: Toronto - Minneapolis - Sioux Falls - Troutdale - Columbia - Kaunas Jackets: Chicago - Los Angeles - Woodlands - Antwerp - Manchester Other: Indianapolis - Krakow - Bucharest

source: @fashionlouist

[thefingerfuckingfemalefury]

Christou claimed that parents were “distraught”

I'm very proud to say that I don't remotely care about the feelings of brainless fucking cattle who are anti-LGBTQ, regardless of whether the little cunts have been able to breed or not

The NSW government has warned that the council’s recent vote might be a violation of the state’s Anti-Discrimination Act, and has threatened to pull funding from the libraries in question. 

Yeah, to be honest if a library is banning books, it deserves to have its funding pulled and be closed down because it's fucking worthlss as a library

[edge-oftheworld]

5sos as city councils in sydney: metropolitan southwest

luke as the inner west

ashton as canterbury-bankstown

calum as georges river

michael as bayside

@sofsversion got to be one of the weirder things i've ever thought of

[scotianostra]

On September 19th 1778, Henry, Lord Brougham, the Scottish Whig statesman and jurist was born in Edinburgh.

Researching this post I came across the pronunciation for Brougham" it says it is generally today pronounced as the monosyllabic "broom", although if Lord Byron has it right, its northern, Scottish root should be the two-syllable "brew-am", itself a softening of the older "brooch-ham" or "bruff-ham", in turn a corruption of the ancient Saxon estate of Burgham in Westmoreland). I must say that us in Edinburgh, at least wityh the people I know have always pronounced it as "Bro-ham", there are two streets baring the name a mere minute or two from my flat, and I have frequented the are for over two decades. Anyway that's my pronunciation lesson over, on to the man himself.

Born to a family of ancient but otherwise unremarkable English gentryfrom Cumberland. His father, Henry Brougham Sr, whom Henry Jr. later derided as a "weak man", had no profession, but simply taken residence in Edinburgh. After being educated in the High School of the city, Henry Brougham enrolled at the University of Edinburgh. Brougham demonstrated an early penchant for science - a paper on optics was published in the Transactions of the Royal Society still within his first year, at the tender age of 17. After a couple of more papers, Brougham was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in March 1803. But Brougham lay his scientific interests aside, and embarked on a legal career in 1800, being called to the Scotch bar 1802.

To support himself during his legal studies, Brougham set about writing. His first treatise, on colonial economic policy started him off. He hoped to set himself up as an expert on colonial trade issues. It exhibited the imprint of the Scottish school, but not all the way. Despite his well-directed attack on the slave trade and mercantilism, Brougham defended the retention of the colonies, seeing them consistent with the principles of free trade and useful for excess population and the maintenance of industrial profits. To me this doesnt really tally with being anti-slavery, but these were different times....

Brougham's real breakthrough was in founding, together with Edinburgh friends Sydney Smith, Francis Horner and Francis Jeffrey, The Edinburgh Review, in 1802. All of whom have appeared in previous posts.

Brougham contributed numerous articles to the Review and helped set it on its path as the prominent Whig quarterly (in contrast to its Tory rival Quarterly Review). In the early years, Brougham wrote most of the economics articles of the Edinburgh Review, particularly those relating to colonial policy, until John Ramsay McCulloch joined the Review in 1818. Beyond economics, Brougham was indefatigable contributor on science and literature. Brougham authored a famously humiliating critique of the young Lord Byron's poetry in the 1808 Review, to which Byron replied with his biting English Bards and Scotch Reviewers. Brougham's later vicious critique of another romantic poet, John Keats, is said to have killed him.

Brougham carried on his legal career through the early years of the Review. But finding Scotland confining,he eventually moved to London, where he enrolled at Lincoln's Inn in 1807 and was called to the English bar. One of Brougham's early English cases was the celebrated petition of British merchants in the House of Commons in early 1808 against the Orders in Council, blockading trade with French ports.

Brougham's legal reputation and the success of the Edinburgh Review gave Brougham entry into the political world. He gravitated quickly into the circle called the Foxite Whigs,. With their help, Henry was elected a Whig member of parliament in 1810, he participated in the Bullionist debate in 1811 and at the next election he ran for a competitive seat in Liverpool in 1812, but lost.

Brougham returned to parliament again in 1816, and would hold a series of seats, continuously remaining in parliament until 1830. He made a reputation for himself as a Whig leader in the House of Commons, a powerful orator and ardent promoter of laissez-faire, anti-slavery, tort and educational reform But to the general English public, Brougham was perhaps best known as the defender of Queen Caroline against charges of adultery in 1820.

Brougham was a comrade and popularizer of the London classical economists, and was a founder of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge (SDUK) in 1825 and University College London in 1828, so a busy man!

In 1830, Brougham was brought into Earl Grey's Whig cabinet as Lord Chancellor (effectively, minister of justice), and raised to a peerage in the process as the first "Baron Brougham and Vaux". Brougham moved his ground of operations from Commons to Lords. He was a a leading figure behind the Parliamentary Reform bill of 1832, the abolition of slavery act of 1833 and the expansion of the jurisdiction of Old Bailey. He remained Chancellor under Viscount Melbourne's government in 1834.

Away from politics he was the designer of a four-wheeled, horse-drawn style carriage that bears his name. Brougham holds the House of Commons record for non-stop speaking at six hours!

As I mentioned earlier, Brougham Street and Brougham Place in Edinburgh are named in his memory.

[halobirthdays]

Happy birthday to Fleet Admiral Terrence Hood!

Today is his -496th birthday!

Lord Hood holds the highest-ranking position within UNSC High Command and is the Chairperson of the UNSC Security Council, making him the head of the UNSC.

Hood served as Executive Officer on the UNSC Spirit of Fire, under the command of Captain James Cutter. The two developed a friendship, with Hood advancing quickly due to Cutter's recommendation. When Sprit went missing, Hood supported Cutter's wife, daughter, and even illegitimate son.

By the end of the Human-Covenant war, Hood held the title of Fleet Admiral, Chief of Naval Operations, and had a seat on the UNSC Security Council, giving him considerable authority over the UNSC. He coordinated the UNSC assault during the Prophet of Regret's attack on Earth. He then had to turn his attention to a Flood infestation that broke out in New Mombasa, organizing a joint effort between the UNSC and the Arbiter's newly-founded Covenant separatist forces.

After authorizing a small-scale glassing of the city for Flood containment, Hood, Commander Keyes, Master Chief, the Arbiter, and Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum reconvened to decide what steps to take next. Hood wanted to remain on Earth for a last stand, but ultimately acquiesced to the others' choice to go through the portal in New Mombasa while he stayed behind.

After the war's end, Hood initiated the slow unwinding of emergency powers that the UNSC imposed on the colonies during the war. He also traveled to Sanghelios to enter a formal peace treaty between humans and Sangheili.

A short time later, Hood presided over a memorial for the lives lost during the the war, inviting the Arbiter and officially declaring peace with the Sangheili. Hood would continue to honor the peace treaty, sharing resources and intelligence with the Arbiter and denying attempts to threaten the agreement.

In the years following the war, Hood held significant diplomatic authority as the Chairperson of the UNSC Security Council, acting as a spokesperson for the UNSC during negotiations. Hood was present for an attack on peace talks spearheaded by Daniel Clayton--Cutter's son. Although Clayton was ultimately captured, Hood still holds significant guilt over Cutter's disappearance and Daniel's fate.

During the rise of the Created, Cortana destroyed Sydney, which was the seat of the UEG and the location of the UNSC HIGHCOM facility. Hood escaped alongside CINCONI Serin Osman, and they traveled to a secret planet called Rossbach's World, kept uncharted and uninhabited except for a cabin built to act as an emergency, long-term hiding location.

In canon (~2560), he is turning 70!

[faithfromanewperspective]

remember being in a horrid shitty mood catching the bus back to my parents, thinking, if they just painted a bus lane on the fucking road my journey could take less than 45 minutes and be way more reliable. wondering why it isn't there, the infrastructure, surely i could afford the jail time if i just went out there and built it, they wouldn't tear it down right? footpaths and shit. cause it's still a pretty rural area. instead i'm sitting on the bus destroying my mental health, no wonder i feel better having moved out of the area, when every car that cuts in front of us and all the traffic we can't just zoom past feels like a personal put-down, an insult to my way of life that i've chosen because it's better for all of us, not just me.

and realising, when my head's out of the constant frustration of it having moved out to somewhere walkable, i can see it 'above the trees' if you will that i can whine and bitch about it all i can (and believe me i have) but any change like the one i want, is political. we do this for the city, we as the whole city do it together. of course it would be good, say the 3+ million of us living in greater brisbane, soon to be 4, 5, 6, 7 million in the leadup to 2032 and after, but it's the tragedy of the commons isn't it? my priority, say 3+ million minus one self-supporting adult in this soon-to-be megacity, is getting to work every day and putting food on the table. i've never had that strong of a survival drive, I'd rather do the right thing and invest my choices into something that makes for a better city than be able to work or eat but when it comes to my mental health? sometimes you've gotta learn the hard way, some things you can't change, and it's not worth losing everything over. you can't think if you're exposing yourself constantly to what's fucking up your brain like if i punished myself for the inaction of the city it might make it better.

i'm starting to learn it doesn't. change is political, it's about power, and people are like water (bear with me, i'm a hydrologist) because it takes volume, all going a certain way, to make the biggest impact. have the strongest force. erode grooves in rocks and wash away entire buildings (this is brisbane, we've seen it happen). what we need, is all these people, 3+ million of us and more, coming together around an idea. getting together, council can't do anything to stop a majority, not in australia at least, and the functionality of a city is something we all need. heck, traffic is bad for all of our mental health and i would bet both my kidneys that the impact of it on our lives and relationships is understudied and underreported exponentially. we can solve this, but individual choices alone don't do shit.

so i'll stop beating myself up for not being able to simply will all the traffic lights along my commute to be green, and turn the energy i put into being mad at all of those stupid annoying cars into the things i do best. it turns out i'm really fucking good at drawing up ideas and connecting with people. so i'll stop beating myself up about the fact that the uni degree i did so i'd know about these things and the job i do for Experience and Sustenance meant i haven't had time to do all of these things As Soon As I Thought Of Them (like you always got told to do for your homework assignments). instead i'll think in larger timeframes. 9 years til the olympics. 2 to finish my masters degree. 27 til the rest of the world is carbon negative like tasmania and bhutan. what can i do in each of these timeframes? and how can i prioritise it?

as i coax my brain slowly out of fight or flight, as i put my pencils and watercolours and maps to annotate out on the table in front of me and say 'take your time, but you're allowed to do what you love' i know the places that have marked on my soul stand out to me. south east queensland right out to the bay. western sydney and bringing dignity to our second cbd, parramatta. queenstown tasmania, for some reason. the murray-darling basin as a whole, gundagai and the murrumbidgee at its heart. the red dirt centre of this great land and all the peoples and cultures it holds. i can hold all of their perspectives. i can train my intuition to find out all of their needs. i can put myself into 26 million pairs of shoes and decorate the lands and i can do it respectfully and lovingly like i'm tattooing my own skin because it might as well be. tattoo it with the needs of all of us and all who have gone before. blueprints of functionality, functionality we don't have, and then meet all 26 million souls (okay, i probably only need 2 million if we're starting from brisbane) and say to them, would you dream this dream with me? will you imagine this lifestyle where you're less burdened? can you be a part of simply talking about it, because that's how we're going to make it happen? can you improve it, make it better, make it yours, knowing that when you do it imprints itself on your heart a little more, you feel a part of it? and then we're all part of it. it takes years, but it can happen.

so i guess i've got my life's work cut out for me, and i'm so fucking glad i could figure this out from something that has been frustrating me to no end, because 'you can't change it' doesn't work for me unless you switch it out like a child's toy for something more big and exciting that i can change instead. fuck you, conformity. i found what it can be for me. a dream so big it doesn't matter if i can only do some of it--and who says i have to limit myself to australia?

[acaseforpencils]

Victoria Roberts Talks about Animation.

Today's interview on Case is a little bit different—I had been seeing Victoria's lovely animations on Instagram, and asked her if she might be interested in talking about them on here. She kindly obliged, so I sent her a loose list of questions to consider, and she sent me back such an incredible rumination on her experiences that I replied back to her "This is so cool! You are so cool!" because though I was expecting something incredible (Victoria being Victoria after all!), it wouldn't be dramatic for me say that I was thunderstruck! Anyways, I hope you all enjoy reading what she has to say as much as I did! —Jane

Find this print here!

On Animation

I’m so fortunate to be working on what I love.

It’s been a long haul in a way. I came to New York City from Sydney, Australia, because I wanted to run away with the Wooster Group-that is, do theatre. Or film. I was already a cartoonist, and I became one under contract to The New Yorker, an enormous privilege, thirty odd years ago.

But since last month, thanks to a software named Callipeg, I make an animated short every week, for which I do the voices, called “Axolotl Mondays.” Finally, I’m in the movies!

To be a performer and tell stories, or at least vignettes, is my passion. At nineteen, with $5000 from the Creative Development Fund of The Australia Council, we made “Goodbye Sally Goldstein”, a five minute animated film. I had three collaborators:

Rob Rogers, composer and musician, Kathryn Pentecost, and Jacqueline Field who drew and painted. From the sound recording, inking and painting, to the shoot, it took six months to complete. My favourite task in all of this was doing the sound breakdown, which consisted of manually running the soundtrack tape through a reader (not sure what the device was called) and jotting down the length of each sound so that you could animate to the soundtrack.

David Deneen founder of Film Graphics was my inspiration and coach. What I knew about animation came from time spent over the school holidays in his studio thanks to my mum, who worked in advertising and got me the gig. They were making an animated ad for Witchy Brew, an ice cream, and I remember they said it wasn’t until they boiled spaghetti that they got the right sound for the witch’s cauldron. 

Every animator had a different style, and each animator’s desk, covered in drawings, felt like a different universe. Val Udowenko and Don Mackinnon were stars in this creative shop that went on to win the Academy Award for Bruce Petty’s “Leisure” in 1976, Best Short Film. To watch David Deneen solve a problem from idea, to script, to film, was my university. 

I left school at sixteen and got a job painting cels for Hannah Barbera. The studio was run by Zoran Janjic, and his mum Zora, ran the painting department. Her “quiet girls please!” in a rich Yugoslavian accent resounded often. It was a big studio.

Sometimes we were on a network deadline so tight that Bill Hannah came to Sydney. We were paid per painted cel, working overtime, and we would try to get scenes with many mouths, as lips were very quick to paint. We stayed in over lunchtime and Mr. Hannah ordered in for us, fried chicken and coleslaw. “Would anybody like more slaw?” he offered, and the painting department cracked up at his American pronounciation of “slaaaaaaaaaaw.”

Again I had the good fortune to hear the soundtrack for a series called “Wait ‘til Your Father Comes Home,” an animated sitcom. I loved the soundtracks, and again remember the sound more than the drawings, and longed to be a creator of some sort.

Some characters come to the world with more dialogue than others. A cartoon strip though roomier than a gag cartoon with a drawing and one line of dialogue, isn’t enough space still for some characters like Nona Appleby, an Australian octogenarian character I have drawn since I was 16. Finally I started to play her on stage, and that gave Nona the opportunity to say everything that is in her heart (it’s a lot!). I maintain that I am a vessel, and the characters do all of the work. 

“Axolotl Mondays” is mid-step between the page and theatre. There is the element of time in a video, which is delicate and wonderful. A friend gave me gift of a six week editing course at MEWSHOP in New York City, which gave me a very good base for cutting and thinking about time. We learned at one of their lectures that “Annie Hall” started out as a film with a stream of consciousness dialogue, but that Diane Keaton’s performances were so extraordinary that it became another film in the editing room. I mention this to underline the malleability, possibility and difficulty of film.

These videos start out with a soundtrack usually, but I learn something new each week about how movement and time on screen works. My animation style is very basic, which fortunately suits my drawing style. It’s detail and timing, and other possibilities which I am learning about that make a piece “sing.” As with most of my work, I rarely know what I am doing. It’s the mystery, the discovery, that keep me on board. 

Callipeg is like having an old-style animation studio at your fingertips. Everything is done on the iPad. It’s so much faster than paper and cels, and cameras-and so accessible. Really a beautiful software, plus the creator’s tutorials are delivered in a native French accent!

Instagram Links:

Kathryn Pentecost is at BohemianPalaceof Art

Rob Rogers is rogers_bob

Jacqueline Field

Don Mackinnon

———-

If you enjoy this blog, and would like to contribute to labor and maintenance costs, there is a Patreon, and if you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee, there is a Ko-Fi  account as well! I do this blog for free because accessible arts education is important to me, and your support helps a lot! You can also find more posts about art supplies on Case’s Instagram and Twitter! Thank you!

[dr-archeville]

This Friday (February 16th, 2024) night at the Carolina Theatre of Durham, a retro film series double feature:

Jonathan Lynn’s Clue: The Movie (1985)

Sydney Lumet’s Deathtrap (1982)

$12.00 [plus tax] to get in, movies start at 7(-ish).

“Along with the City of Durham, we have made major investments in the Carolina Theatre for the comfort and safety of our guests during our closure,” says Randy McKay, the Carolina Theatre’s President & CEO. “That includes tens of thousands of dollars in new state of the art HVAC upgrades from Global Plasma Solutions (GPS) that remove biohazards, pollen, and other contaminants to make our air as pure — and sometimes purer — than outdoor air.”  The theater has also earned a Global Biorisk Advisory Council® (GBAC) STAR™ accreditation for its cleaning practices to ensure that guests have a safe and enjoyable experience.  “Together, these cleaning practices and advanced air filtration make the Carolina Theatre one of the safest spaces to attend a film or live event in the region,” says McKay.  [source]

Carolina Theatre of Durham 309 W. Morgan St., Durham, NC http://www.carolinatheatre.org/

[artivist]

LADEDA 2014 - a new cultural tradition that never happened...

2014. Well, actually, 2013 this proposal went to Council. 10 years ago!

A very excited Council… then the wheels fell off when the administration couldn’t see the “value” in the event.

Creative Director on this was Philip McDougall. At the time Philip was EVP Creative in New York for the prestigious Experiential Company Jack Morton Worldwide & was rebranding San Francisco Bay Area in preparation for Super Bowl. He had been Creative on some of the largest broadcast events of the new century including Melbourne Commonwealth Games & Beijing Olympics as the head Creative of JMW Australia… he was home on a rest while waiting on his new position with another global giant & we decided to put our heads together to make something to celebrate our home town…

We aimed to show Wellington as vibrant & exciting to the world. Not celebrating ourselves to ourselves. Allowing others to celebrate us, our city & our place in the World - if only for the fact we are the first capital city to see the New Year!

We did this to instil some pride in our children in our home town. There was no gain for us. Sure we each have a son at Victoria & I even have a son who works at Paperkite as a Product Owner & Designer but he lives in Christchurch. But all my kids live overseas or Auckland & Christchurch & don’t see Wellington as “home” like we do.

Philip is now Creative Director at Google. I’m shifting our business out of Wellington this month to Auckland & overseas. I’m still questioning why Wellington does not have anything to offer us. But I keep thinking it’s more that Wellington wants nothing that we have to offer…

Wellington creatives don’t make it in Wellington. They make it elsewhere & live in Wellington until it becomes easier to live somewhere else or they are prepared to adjust their work & lifestyle to suit - I live in Wellington but we’re moving core business to Auckland. When I first worked with Phil in 2000 I commuted to Melbourne but worked in a satellite office (old style remote) back here in Wellington or my studio in Melbourne… we worked on installations in Sydney & I worked on events in Auckland too.

But as Wellington gets more & more isolated the remote working style gets more difficult to justify. The issue for our home town is that it keeps telling us it has great food & theatre & entertainment however it’s not as good as Melbourne or Auckland or Christchurch right now - ask all those new students who went to Canterbury this year.

The issue is the town needs to stop making out it has a lot to offer & start offering a place that new people feel they are making a contribution… that’s what we wanted from LA DE DA 2014. A new culture that offered a place to belong & then celebrate that. And then show off about it to the World!

note: 2014 the main question was “who is Kendrick Lamar?”

[28mindgames]

DEFINITIVE VERSION FITFWT 23/24 (not including festivals)

Tank Tops: Cuyahoga Falls - Columbus - Chicago - Seattle - Los Angeles - Phoenix - Austin - Woodlands - Charlotte - Boston N1 - Philadelphia - New York - AFHF 2023 - Hamburg - Lodz - Vienna - Ljubljana - Budapest - Sofia - Bilbao - Turin - Bologna - Antwerp - Amsterdam - Berlin - Dublin - Sheffield - Manchester - London - Jakarta - Brisbane - Panamá - San Juan - Rio de Janeiro - Montevideo - Asunción - San José - Querétaro - Guadalajara Graphic Tees: Gilford - Sterling Heights - Kansas City - Vancouver - Berkeley - Las Vegas - Irving - Atlanta - Raleigh - Boston N2 - Asbury Park - Lisbon - Barcelona - Prague - Glasgow - Birmingham - Sao Paulo - Lima Collared Tops: Uncasville - Laval - Cincinnati - Saint Louis - Milwaukee - Council Bluffs - Hollywood - Nashville - Oslo - Helsinki - Madrid - Paris - Cologne - Munich - Brighton - Cardiff - Bogotá - México City Brand Logos: St. Augustine - Tampa - Copenhagen - Stockholm - Tallinn - Riga - Athens - Luxembourg - Zurich - Melbourne - Sydney - Curitiba Jackets: Chicago - Los Angeles - Woodlands - Antwerp - Manchester - Buenos Aires - Santiago Blokecore: Toronto - Minneapolis - Sioux Falls - Troutdale - Columbia - Kaunas Other: Indianapolis - Krakow - Bucharest

source: @fashionlouist

[megpie71]

Given this is the 1994 Sydney Mardi Gras Pride parade, I'm wondering whether this particular drag queen hails from Ipswitch, given they've managed to presciently anticipate the "I don't like it!" expression of Pauline Hanson long before she came to the general public's attention (Pauline Hanson entered Federal politics in 1996, but ran for the city council in Ipswich in 1994, and was presumably well-known enough in the district to be recognisable).

shocked bystander at sydney, australia’s annual mardis gras pride parade (1994)

[firstflooradditionsinsydney]

Transforming a Californian Bungalow: First Floor Additions Sydney

Californian bungalows are a classic style of home architecture that has captured the hearts of many Australians. Known for their charm, simplicity, and practical layouts, these single-story homes are a staple across Sydney and have become increasingly popular for renovations and expansions. For homeowners looking to expand their living space without compromising their beloved bungalow’s aesthetics, a first-floor addition is an ideal solution. This guide covers all aspects of first-floor additions in Sydney, from the unique benefits to design ideas and frequently asked questions, ensuring you’re well-prepared to undertake this transformative journey.

The Appeal of First-Floor Additions in Sydney

Sydney’s unique urban landscape, coupled with the Californian bungalow's charming architecture, makes the first-floor addition a perfect solution for expanding space without taking up extra land area. By adding a second storey, homeowners can significantly increase their property’s functionality, enhance its aesthetic appeal, and potentially increase its market value.

Why Choose a First-Floor Addition?

Maximise Space Without Losing Garden Areas Adding a first floor enables homeowners to increase living space vertically, preserving backyard and garden areas – a particularly valuable asset in Sydney’s increasingly dense neighbourhoods.

Elevated Views and Natural Light Sydney’s natural scenery offers beautiful vistas that a first-floor addition can help capture. Elevating bedrooms, living areas, or home offices on a second level allows for improved views and increased exposure to natural light.

Enhanced Privacy Expanding vertically can create distinct areas within the home, perfect for separating family spaces from more private bedrooms or study areas.

Improved Property Value In Sydney’s competitive real estate market, the addition of a first floor not only adds space but also significantly boosts the marketability and value of the property.

Key Considerations for First-Floor Additions on Californian Bungalows

A Californian bungalow has a distinctive charm, which makes it essential to ensure any renovations remain true to its style. Below are some considerations specific to maintaining and enhancing the aesthetic appeal of these character homes.

1. Architectural Harmony

When planning a first-floor addition, maintaining the bungalow’s original style is crucial. Consider working with architects and designers who specialise in bungalow renovations, as they can seamlessly blend the old with the new. Typical Californian bungalow features include pitched roofs, overhanging eaves, and wooden or brick detailing. Incorporating these elements into the new design will help retain the home’s classic appeal.

2. Compliance with Council Regulations

Sydney has strict building codes and heritage considerations, particularly for homes in areas with older architectural styles. It’s essential to work with a builder or architect familiar with the city’s regulations. Obtaining the right permits and adhering to council guidelines ensures the addition meets structural and aesthetic requirements.

3. Structural Integrity

Since Californian bungalows were typically built as single-storey homes, it’s essential to assess the structural foundation before starting an addition. Strengthening the existing foundation or adding supports may be necessary to accommodate the extra weight of a first floor.

4. Insulation and Energy Efficiency

First-floor additions can impact a home’s energy efficiency. Opt for high-quality insulation, energy-efficient windows, and sustainable materials that align with Sydney’s climate conditions, helping reduce heating and cooling costs over time.

Design Ideas for First-Floor Additions in a Californian Bungalow

Here are some popular design ideas to consider for your first-floor addition in Sydney:

Master Suite Sanctuary Transform the new floor into a spacious master suite with a bedroom, bathroom, and private balcony. This layout maximises privacy, especially if the ground floor serves as the main family area.

Dedicated Children’s Wing For growing families, a first-floor addition could serve as a dedicated children’s area with bedrooms, a shared bathroom, and a study area. This keeps the ground floor open for communal family activities.

Home Office with a View If remote work is part of your lifestyle, adding a home office on the new level is ideal. Elevated spaces benefit from increased natural light, and an office with a view can create a productive and peaceful environment.

Indoor-Outdoor Flow Bungalows are known for their seamless indoor-outdoor living. Extend this on the first floor by including a deck or balcony with large windows or sliding doors, enhancing the connection between the interior and exterior.

Open-Plan Family Room An open-plan family area on the upper level, complete with a kitchenette, is an excellent option for families with older children, providing a separate space to relax and entertain.

Budgeting for a First-Floor Addition

Budgeting for a first floor additions Sydney requires consideration of several factors:

Design and Planning: Consulting with architects, designers, and engineers can account for 10-15% of the total budget.

Labour and Materials: These typically constitute the majority of the cost, especially if additional structural support is needed.

Permits and Compliance: Permit fees vary by location but are a necessary part of the process.

Fittings and Finishes: Flooring, fixtures, and finishes will contribute significantly to the total cost, depending on the quality of materials selected.

Unforeseen Expenses: Having a contingency fund (usually 10-15% of the budget) is crucial to cover unexpected costs.

FAQs

1. How long does a first-floor addition typically take?

A first-floor addition can take between 4 to 8 months, depending on factors like complexity, weather conditions, and compliance requirements.

2. Will a first-floor addition add value to my Californian bungalow in Sydney?

Yes, adding a first floor often increases the property’s value, especially in Sydney’s competitive market, as it provides more space and potential for elevated views.

3. Do I need council approval for a first-floor addition in Sydney?

Yes, council approval is generally required for first-floor additions, especially for heritage-listed or older homes. Check with your local council for specific regulations.

4. Can I live in my home during the renovation?

Depending on the scope of the work, you may be able to live at home, but disruptions will occur. For extensive additions, you may prefer temporary accommodation.

5. How much does a first-floor addition cost in Sydney?

Costs vary widely but generally range from $150,000 to $500,000, depending on the design complexity, materials, and size of the addition.

Conclusion

Adding a first floor to a Californian bungalow is a transformative project that combines the elegance of traditional architecture with the functionality of modern living. For homeowners in Sydney, a thoughtfully designed first-floor addition can enhance both lifestyle and property value, offering a solution that respects the past while embracing the future. With careful planning, a realistic budget, and the right professionals, your Californian bungalow can become a stylish, spacious, and enduring home for years to come.

Home Renovation Sydney Ground Floor Extensions Sydney

[northshoretreeservices]

Understanding the Tree Removal Permit Process in Sydney

Trees are an integral part of Sydney's landscape, contributing to the city's aesthetics, biodiversity, and environmental sustainability. However, there are instances where tree removal becomes necessary, whether it's due to property development, safety concerns, or the tree’s declining health. In Sydney, strict rules and regulations govern tree removal to ensure that the city’s urban greenery is preserved and managed sustainably. Understanding the tree removal Sydney permit process is key to complying with these regulations, avoiding hefty fines, and making informed decisions about your property. 

This comprehensive guide will walk you through the ins and outs of the tree removal permit process in Sydney, helping you navigate the steps, understand legal requirements, and ensure a smooth application experience.

1. Why Is a Tree Removal Permit Necessary?

Before diving into the procedural details, it’s important to grasp why tree removal permits exist in the first place. Sydney, like many urban centres, has seen significant growth in recent decades. As housing and commercial developments expand, urban tree cover can be at risk of decline. Trees provide critical benefits, including:

Improved air quality by absorbing pollutants.

Carbon sequestration to combat climate change.

Reduction of urban heat islands through shade.

Enhanced property values and aesthetic appeal.

Wildlife habitat preservation for native species.

To balance urban growth with environmental protection, local councils in Sydney enforce regulations via Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) or Development Control Plans (DCPs). These laws mandate that a permit is obtained before certain trees can be removed, ensuring that trees are not removed indiscriminately and that the environmental impacts are considered.

2. When Is a Permit Required for Tree Removal?

While every council in Sydney may have slightly different rules, a permit is typically required in the following situations:

Size Thresholds: Trees that exceed a specific height or trunk diameter often require a permit. Commonly, trees taller than 3-5 metres or with a trunk circumference greater than 300mm at chest height need permission.

Protected Species: Some tree species, such as native trees or those classified as significant heritage items, are protected and will always require council approval for removal.

Location Matters: Trees located on public property or close to heritage-listed sites might require special considerations or approval.

Certain situations do allow exemptions, particularly when a tree poses an immediate safety threat (e.g., it’s dead, dying, or structurally unstable). However, you’ll still need to document and often consult with your local council to avoid fines or legal issues.

3. How to Determine if Your Tree Needs a Permit

If you’re unsure whether a tree on your property requires a removal permit, start by reviewing the Tree Preservation Order or Development Control Plan of your local council. These documents outline specific guidelines, including:

Which trees are protected under council regulations.

Size and species exemptions for common tree species that might not need a permit.

Special conditions for trees in certain zones, such as conservation areas or near waterways.

Many councils in Sydney also offer online tools where you can enter details about the tree (such as its species, height, and location) to determine if a permit is required. You can also directly contact your council's environment or planning department for guidance.

4. The Application Process: A Step-by-Step Guide

Once you've determined that your tree requires a permit, the next step is to begin the application process. This process may vary slightly between councils, but here is a general overview of what to expect.

Step 1: Research Council-Specific Guidelines

Before submitting an application, research the specific tree removal requirements of your local council. Each council has its own set of rules regarding protected species, tree sizes, and acceptable reasons for removal. You can typically find these guidelines on the council’s website.

Step 2: Prepare Documentation

Your application will require detailed information about the tree you wish to remove. Common requirements include:

Tree species and size: Accurate identification of the tree’s species and measurement of its height and trunk diameter.

Reasons for removal: Justify your request by explaining why the tree needs to be removed (e.g., it’s diseased, structurally compromised, or obstructing a planned development).

Supporting evidence: In some cases, you’ll need to provide photographs of the tree, evidence of its poor health, or proof that it poses a safety hazard. An arborist report is often requested to substantiate claims about the tree’s condition.

Step 3: Submit the Application

Most Sydney councils offer an online tree removal permit application process, although some may still accept paper forms. Ensure that all required documentation is included to avoid delays. Application fees vary depending on the council and the specifics of your request. Fees typically range from $50 to $300.

Step 4: Council Inspection

Once you’ve submitted your application, the council may schedule an on-site inspection. A qualified council arborist or officer will visit your property to assess the tree’s condition and evaluate your reasons for removal. This inspection plays a critical role in determining whether your permit is approved.

Step 5: Council Decision

Based on the arborist’s findings and the specifics of your application, the council will either approve or deny your request. Approval may come with conditions, such as planting a replacement tree of a similar species or ensuring that tree removal is carried out by a qualified contractor. If your application is denied, you may appeal the decision by providing additional evidence or seeking further assessments.

5. Understanding Arborist Reports: Why They’re Essential

In many cases, councils will require an arborist report as part of the application process. An arborist is a trained professional who specialises in the health and management of trees. Their report provides an expert assessment of the tree’s condition, detailing factors such as:

Health and structural integrity: Is the tree healthy, or does it pose a risk due to disease, decay, or structural instability?

Pests or diseases: Is the tree infested with pests or suffering from diseases that could spread to nearby trees?

Risk to property: Is the tree likely to damage nearby structures, such as buildings, fences, or utilities, in the event of a storm or high winds?

An arborist report can be the deciding factor in your tree removal application. By providing professional insights, it supports your case and demonstrates to the council that the tree’s removal is necessary.

6. What Happens If You Don’t Get a Permit?

Removing a tree without the proper permit can result in serious consequences. Sydney councils impose heavy fines for unauthorised tree removal, with penalties ranging from $5,000 to $100,000 or more for significant breaches. In addition to financial penalties, the property owner may be required to plant replacement trees or undertake other remediation measures.

In cases of severe non-compliance, councils may pursue legal action, which could result in additional court-imposed fines or even criminal charges. To avoid these risks, always ensure that you follow the correct legal processes before removing a tree.

7. Timeframes and Costs: What to Expect

The timeline for processing a tree removal permit varies based on the complexity of the application and the workload of the council. In general, you can expect the process to take anywhere from two to six weeks. If the tree poses an immediate risk to safety or property, some councils offer expedited emergency removal applications, which can speed up the process.

Regarding costs, fees for the permit application vary by council. Additional costs may include hiring an arborist to produce a report, which can range from $300 to $1,000 depending on the complexity of the assessment.

8. Post-Approval: Hiring a Professional Tree Removal Service

Once your tree removal permit has been approved, it’s essential to hire a qualified and experienced tree removal company. These professionals ensure that the tree is removed safely and in accordance with council conditions. Many councils require that tree removal be performed by licensed arborists or tree lopping services, so ensure your chosen contractor meets these qualifications.

Additionally, professional tree removal companies are equipped to handle large trees, prevent damage to surrounding structures, and manage debris removal, making the entire process more efficient and hassle-free.

Understanding and navigating the tree removal permit process in Sydney is crucial for maintaining the balance between urban development and environmental protection. By following the proper steps, engaging with your local council, and working with qualified professionals, you can ensure that your tree removal project is compliant with local regulations and carried out responsibly.

Remember, each tree removed has an environmental impact, so it’s important to always consider whether removal is absolutely necessary or if alternatives, such as pruning or relocation, are viable options.

[scotianostra]

On 29th February 1904 the Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow, opened.

Designed by Bertie Crewe for Thomas Barrasford, the Pavilion Theatre opened at the corner of Renfield Street and Renfrew Street, Glasgow on the 29 February, 1904. It was regarded as luxurious for its time with its decor being described by the owners as “pure Louis XV”. An electrically operated sliding roof ensured good ventilation.

Performances in the early days were mainly variety, melodrama and pantomime. Many of the leading music hall artistes of the period appeared at the Pavilion, including Marie Lloyd, Little Tich, Harry Lauder, Florrie Forde, Will Fyffe, Sarah Bernhardt and a then unknown Charlie Chaplin.

Since the 1930s, the Pavilion began to host pantomimes with top name stars of the Scottish variety scene, such as Harry Gordon and Dave Willis. In more recent times it has produced plays, such as ‘The Sash’ and ‘The Steamie’.

The Pavilion Theatre is now the only privately run theatre in Scotland and one of a few unsubsidised independent theatres left in Britain.

“Defying all the odds, Glasgow’s Pavilion regularly purveys variety to this day. All the more remarkable as it is completely unsubsidised and receives no funding from the Scottish Arts Council and kindred bodies whose thoughts and cash are directed at higher cultural activities. It remains the last stronghold of a long music hall tradition in Europe’s City of Culture owing everything to a dedicated staff and patrons and nothing to the public purse.

With its imposing terra cotta facade, the Pavilion Theatre of Varieties was designed by Bertie Crewe in the grand manner for Thomas Barrasford. The domed ceiling was surmounted by an electrically controlled sliding roof for ventilation. Fine Rococo plasterwork on the circle, balcony and box fronts; decoration executed in pure Louis XV; handsome mahogany woodwork and the marble mosaic floor all lent the 1800 seat theatre an aura of splendour.

No less amusing than the dentist advertising in the Pavilion programme “painless extractions with nitrous oxide for 4/- (20p) or cocaine for 1/- (5p)”, were the press observations on the “fashionable company” which attended the Pavilion’s first house on 29th February,1904. We learn that “among the elite there was quite a preponderance of ladies and gentlemen of quality in evening dress”. Alas, class consciousness and respectability were all in Edwardian Britain!

The ‘forties and ‘fifties saw pantomime runs of sixteen weeks, the happy and hilarious summer seasons were emulated during the 1960s and early 1970s by Lex McLean. Another regular crowd puller to Renfield Street was Jack Milroy.

Lulu from Dennistoun (real name Marie Lawrie) broke box office records in 1975, Billy Connolly, Hector Nicol Andy Cameron portrayed their own distinctive brands of humour while Scottish songstresses Lena Zavaroni, , Sheena Easton, Lena Martell and Barbara Dickson also scored heavily with Pavilion audiences.

It was anything but plain sailing for the Pavilion and there was gloomy speculation of closure after incurring heavy financial losses in 1981. Spared the fate which befell the Queens, Metropole, Empire, Alhambra and Empress Theatres, the 80 years old Pavilion was rescued by James Glasgow and transformed into a modest profit maker. Smash-hit shows with Sydney Devine; spells from hypnotist Robert Halpern; pantomime with Denny Willis, and one night gigs from the foremost modern television entertainers have kept the cash tills registering.

The Pavilion also played a major role in the annual Mayfest – Glasgow’s International Festival of popular theatre, music, the arts and community programmes.

Little altered and virtually unspoilt since its inception, the seating capacity of 1449 is made up of 677 stalls, 341 circle, 413 balcony and 18 box seats. While the stiff shirts in chauffeur-driven cabs have given way to coach parties from the rural areas of Strathclyde and beyond, a policy of providing the best in live entertainment has been pursued consistently. The portents look good for the vibrant Pavilion Theatre of Varieties.”

The Pavillion is, in my view a survivor, even over the past few years tragedy has struck the area with a series of fires.