Reclaim Our Town

A rousing meeting was held at the Banquet Room at Newcastle City Hall today commencing at midday to Reclaim Our Town "Start the ROT".

The meeting was designed to tell the State Government that the people of the Hunter and Central Coast are sick of having our democratic rights eroded away by contemptuous power crazy politicians.

Costa take notice!

This is my speech at the gathering...

I understand the concern of Newcastle people about decisions made in Sydney that affect our community. And it’s not just in pre-selections. As a local councillor it’s obvious to me that local decisions are no longer under the control of local people.

The Sydney Labor government is an arrogant government.

Arrogant in how they have treated our local elected member
Arrogant in how they treat planning in our city, and
Arrogant in how they build out our harbour

Planning Sydney style has come up with the area of Honeysuckle near the Crown Plaza, which many call Newcastle’s own harbour tunnel – thanks very much Sydney.

Planning Sydney-style is going to sell off the Royal Newcastle Hospital site, public land, our land – and what for? To plonk 20 storey apartments on it – thanks very much Sydney.

Planning Sydney-style is now eyeing off our whole CBD, they’ve got some ideas about what should happen in our CBD – can anyone guess what that’ll be? Anyone guessing 20 storey apartments? Full of vision Sydney planning! Thanks very much Sydney.

But is the Sydney Labor Government listening? Forget it! It shows the height of their arrogance.

This is our town.

We want to make the decisions for our future – local decisions by local people for local people. A fundamental principle of the Greens is grassroots democracy – that’s local decisions by local people for local people.

The Newcastle Greens position is clear.

The Newcastle Greens have fought hard with other Novocastrians to save our rail line, despite the efforts of Sydney power-brokers.

The Newcastle Greens have also acted to protect the public interest in the Mater hospital development, against the Sydney Labor Government’s proposed privatisation of our health services.

Public services and public spaces shouldn’t be handed to developer interests for private profit.

Developers supported by the Sydney Labor Government are still erecting barriers between the city and the water, and now they’re after the Royal hospital site.

Together we can stop the Sydney takeover of our town.

We can make a difference, especially over the next 16 weeks till 24th March next year.