Fighting City Hall

Community defends homes
I attended a picket this morning to hear residents saying that Lytton Road, East Brisbane is wide enough.

The group that organised the picket challenged Councillor Quirk at a ‘civic cabinet’ meeting at the Russian Club hall on Wednesday night (30 Aug 2017). Their concerns were rebuked by the Lord Mayor claiming to have the support of ‘the silent majority’ through a survey which local residents say is a fraud. Belinda from East Brisbane challenged the Lord Mayor’s reliance on a BCC survey of forty thousand residents of the Wynnum corridor.

Lord Mayor’s response to loss of homes in East Bribane claiming a silent majority supports widening the road.

Residents and supporters are welcome to join the picket that is being held each morning from 7am till 9am on the corner of Lytton Road and Walter Avenue, East Brisbane.

This morning four people turned up. Bernadette, Joyce, Donna and myself. The picketers gave me a thorough account of the widening of a 600 metre stretch of road currently underway. Council is removing houses it has resumed and paid owners enough money to buy an old house in Inala. Thus ends their life in the inner city. Cars carrying only the driver pass by in single file to the city. High rise development, river views and gentrification follows. Who will benefit most? Developers and the incumbents at City Hall who depend upon them for their jobs. Brisbane City Council Infrastructure Chairperson Amanda Cooper tops the list of beneficiaries at city hall.

They say you can’t fight City Hall
So it is inspiring to see even a few people in the community who still believe it’s possible to fight and win. They named the blackhearts in council who couldn’t care less. Banners reading ‘Save our Homes’ and ‘Save our Heritage’ adorn the building sites opposite. Bus drivers toot in support, some car drivers give us the thumbs up when they read the sign ‘widening will not relieve traffic congestion’. Living opposite is a 95 year old woman all shut up in her house fearful of being kicked out.

Homes on Lytton Road are being given away for free says Bernadette. Councillor Jonathan Sri (The Gabba) questioned council why processes had not been followed to approve demolition of homes before the contractors moved in.

Joyce, a veteran of the last campaign in the 1980s, hands me some questions for Quirky:

Why has the Lord Mayor refused to meet residents?
Why has there not been a Heritage order on these properties [some of the homes are pre-1911]?
Why did the Lord Mayor and the infrastructure committee ignore the independent report finding that the best cost benefit option was to retain 4 lanes with intersection upgrades?
Why is the acquired land to be offered to developers and not back to the people who have been ‘thrown off’ their properties?
Is this a revenue making exercise?
Who are the developers? Gina Reinhart? Sarina Russo?
Are they the same ones who missed out on the Croquet Club land (referring to attempts to sell off the croquet club in Mowbray Park)?
Who are the removalists?
Why have East Brisbane residents been sidelined?
Who are the people you (Quirk) say you have consulted?
Exactly how many minutes does council expect that motorists will save on this 600 metre stretch for a cost of $115M
What consideration has there been regarding the impact this will have on the significant Churchie (queensland’s wealthier school) traffic and it’s effects on residents?
Why has there not been soundproofing from noise pollution? adds Bernadette

No due process, no health & safety – why?
So many questions, so few answers. Due process ignored. No approval from the Minister. Will Anthony Lynham, Queensland Minister for State Development, call in the unsafe demolition of asbestos riddled houses at 142, 144 & 150 Lytton Road?

In the maze of local government corruption and kickbacks being tabled regularly in Queensland parliament by independent Rob Pyne when will the Crime and Corruption Commission start to investigate the Brisbane City Council? Or is this beyond the CCC and into the realm of direct action?

Ian Curr
Paradigm Shift

4zzz fm 102.1
Fridays at Noon
30 Aug 2017

3 thoughts on “Fighting City Hall”

Given that the CCC stands for Crime Cover-Up Commission, I suggest that direct action is warranted.

It matters not that an LŃP council is behind this particular con, the ALP also bends over backward to pander to its backers. That said, I am antagonistic to any policy that attempts to force commuters onto bicycles until or unless there is a comprehensive bicycle path network. Deadly treadlies do not belong on our over-congested roads and more to the point, public roads are not velodromes reserved for the exclusive use of MAMILS.

Road ‘improvement’ has never alleviated traffic issues in the medium to long term.. bigger roads inevitably lead to more significant problems than they resolve. Solutions will never be found while we have corrupt and unaccountable political systems that pander to the big end of town.

Reblogged this on Paradigm Shift.

Yes Minister says:

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Given that the CCC stands for Crime Cover-Up Commission, I suggest that direct action is warranted.

Yes Minister says:

at

It matters not that an LŃP council is behind this particular con, the ALP also bends over backward to pander to its backers. That said, I am antagonistic to any policy that attempts to force commuters onto bicycles until or unless there is a comprehensive bicycle path network. Deadly treadlies do not belong on our over-congested roads and more to the point, public roads are not velodromes reserved for the exclusive use of MAMILS.

Road ‘improvement’ has never alleviated traffic issues in the medium to long term.. bigger roads inevitably lead to more significant problems than they resolve. Solutions will never be found while we have corrupt and unaccountable political systems that pander to the big end of town.

BushTelegraph says:

at

Reblogged this on Paradigm Shift.