Contact: Julianne Bell
(Acting Secretary) Phone/fax 98184114 mobile 0408022408
Email:jbell5@bigpond.com
Website: www.royalparkprotect.org.au
REPORT ON PROTECTORS OF
PUBLIC LANDS (VICTORIA) (PPL VIC) FORUM HELD AT MELBOURNE TOWN HALL 2 PM SUNDAY
15 FEBRUARY 2004
The Public Forum was held in
the Melbourne Lower Town Hall. Groups
gathered outside before the commencement of the forum for photos and media
interviews. About 200 people attended and the room was set up with a podium for
the speakers and with the PPL (Vic) banner “Keep Public Lands in Public
Hands”. See photo on website.
As MC Rod Quantock welcomed
the PPL (Vic) supporters to the first Public Forum or Rally of the Protectors
of Public Lands and thanked the Lord Major of Melbourne for approving a
community grant which covers the cost of hiring the hall. (Funds still had to
be found to cover the cost of the sound system). Donations were requested.
House keeping matters were dealt with.
The MC introduced Councillor
Kevin Councillor of the City of Melbourne mentioning that he is: a former Lord
Mayor of Melbourne; chair of Finance Committee and has been previously sat on
all Council Committees at different times; long time opponent of location of
the Games Village on the Royal Park Hospital site (this was part of his
platform in the last Council elections) and long term defender of parkland
including Royal Park; resident of North Melbourne and brought up in West
Parkville near Royal Park Hospital; and interim Chair of PPL (VIC).
As Melbourne City Councillor
Kevin welcomed the audience to Melbourne Town Hall. He then read the message of recognition of traditional owners, the
Wurundjeri as follows: “In the spirit of reconciliation, we acknowledge that
we are on land for which the Wurundjeri and their forbears are the traditional
people and we recognise the cultural and historical significance of the land to
the Wurundjeri.”
He then read out the list of
apologies and messages to the forum. These were: Ms Kate Baillieu and
Councillor, Meredith Butler from Boroondara.
Mr Bill Brown, Chairman Greater Shepparton Botanic Gardens Association
sent apologies as the Group was preparing for a Ministerial Panel hearing. He sent PPL (VIC) a message: …(you have) “our
full support for your endeavours and we wish you well for this important
meeting. It appears that there is a
nation wide scheme to hand over every available piece of public land to
developers and, in many cases, without proper consultation with the public.
This will only cease through the actions of people who are organised. Keep
up the good work!” Apologies were
also received from Mr Walter Jonah; Melbourne City Councillor Kimberley
Kitching; Mr Michael Leunig; Mr Peter Milton, spokesperson for the Darebin
Appropriate Development Association; Ms Anne Phefley, Secretary, Royal Park
Protection Group; Mr Tim Todhunter, President, Parkville Association; Ms Diane
Weidner, Chairperson, National Trust of Australia (Victoria); and Mr Arnold
Zable. Kevin read out the message dated
4 February 2004 from Sir Rupert Hamer, which said “I regret that I will not be able to take part this time, as I
will be out of Melbourne, but I do commend your efforts. Our public land
certainly needs the kind of support, which a group like yours is able to
give. I wish you every success with the
forum.”
Kevin also read
out the names from the list of the 32 groups, which had, as at 15 February
2004, registered support for Protectors of Public Lands (Victoria) and
commented on their diversity. (See Attachment 1 “Organisations and Groups
Supporting The Establishment of Protectors of Public Lands Victoria).
Rod Quantock then introduced
Maire Sheehan, Convenor of the Protectors of Public Lands (NSW) and formerly
Convenor of Friends of Callan Park. She
is presently Mayor of Leichhardt and is an Independent in the Council. He formally thanked her for coming to
Melbourne for the day to speak at the forum
Maire spoke firstly about
the formation of the Protectors of Public Lands NSW. She said that it came out of a meeting of about 40 people at
Leichhardt Council. They decided what
kind of a group they wanted. They
decided on a coalition, a network and did not want to turn it into a
bureaucratic structure. It was based originally at the Council but now the
National Trust of NSW hosts the organization.
Jacqui Goddard is the representative at the Trust who is the contact. It
was agreed that the PPL NSW should be bipartisan and that no political parties
should be allowed to join as members, although this did not apply to
individuals who belonged to political parties. It was agreed that they should
not accept patronage from a political party. It was also agreed that the group
develop a set of principles and policies.
Peak environment groups have been accepted as members but some of these
are politically aligned.
The formation of PPL NSW
arose out of the battle for Callan Park. (Website www.nsw.nationaltrust.org.au/ppl.html
)The group looked for inspiration back to the environmental battles to save
Ballast Point and Kelly’s Bush in the 1970’s.
The question was raised about going into battle to protect private land as well as public
lands.
It was
decided that the group should launch into a bigger movement, attract the media
and create a clear message to show members that the group is in for the long
haul.
Maire then spoke about the
campaign to save Callan Park. Some of
the points included: the campaign was geared to appeal to the NIMBY’S to bring
people into Callan Park. For instance
they held a “Dog’s Day Out” with a famous vet in attendance. They paid attention to the website as 50% of
members had access to the internet. The
demographics of Sydney was taken into account – many residents are in their
20’s and 30’s There has been a backlash against Tammany Hall politics and
democracy cannot be taken for granted.
The campaign also included
the strategy whereby members talked to five people each; had activities in the
local park; the Council was persuaded to put funds into the campaign; the group
developed a community vision for the site; a questionnaire was sent to 3,000 in
the municipality – 97% said that the land should stay in public hands; the
Friends of Callan Park used the Leichhardt Council web and used own spin,
promoting non profit organizations; and the Friends of Callan Park conducted
random telephone surveys about the question of the Callan Park development. The
exhibition of the Master Plan for the Callan Park development proved that it
breached every environmentally sustainable development rule. Protectors of
Public Lands NSW received support from MP’s who put through legislation to save
Callan Park. Maire said that every
piece of land is seen as real estate so PPL must continue to lobby and insist
that they cannot be coopted by political parties. PPL NSW must remain at the
centre of a network of community groups.
Rod Quantock introduced Mary
Lou Jelbart as the next speaker. She is
well-known arts and theatre critic, a city gallery owner and a National Trust
Councillor. Mary Lou read out the letter of support from Diane Weidner, Chair
if the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) (See Attachment 3) and made her
own comments. She said that Maire had
reminded her that Melbourne has had no fighters in the shape of politicians or
unionists like Sydney. Mary Lou raised the question of how to use long-term
battles. She had stood for the National
Trust to try to stop the Melbourne Museum being located in the wrong
place. Mary Lou compared Port Phillip
Council with the size of Leichhardt Council.
She said that under Kennett amalgamation there are now 7 councillors for
what was previous 3 councils. Leichhardt Council has 50,000 voters with 12
Councillors for what is the size of the old St Kilda Council. Ten years later
all politicians are the same and look to alienate public parklands for
commercial advantage.
Rod Quantock then introduced
the Open Mike segment and asked for representatives of groups to queue for the
mikes. The following groups spoke:
Beverley Walker from Hands Across the Inlet in Gippsland (a coalition including
IRRA (Inverlock Ratepayers and Residents Association and PAISE) talking about
the development on Venus Bay; Brian Cuming of Westernport and Peninsula
Conservation Council speaking about Devil Bend; Colin Smith of Save Albert Park
speaking about the previous Parklands Code and the Hands Off Our Parks movement
(a precursor of PPL Vic); Jenny Duke of Save Albert Park talking about loss of
the Carlton Gardens with the Museum; Rhaya Linden of Animal Active talking
about the loss of habitat; Margot Foster of the Collingwood Children’s Farm and
the Abbotsford Convent Coalition talking about the loss of the carpark for a
development which will affect their operation; Janis Rossiter of Save Footscray
Pool and Save Barrett Reserve spoke about loss of the Pool and loss of the
Reserve for a carpark; Tom Moloney spoke about partnerships with local
Councils; Jeff Heard from the Kingston Conservation Coalition spoke about
economics and corporate ownership of land; Jennie Warfe from Blue Wedges
Coalition spoke about the channel dredging of the Bay; Christopher Game of Kew
Cottages Coalition spoke about the relocation of intellectually disabled and
the loss of parkland; Rosemary West spoke about threats to Chickita Park; and
Margaret Donald of the Friends of the Yarra Corridor spoke about threats to the
Yarra.
Rod Quantock then asked the
meeting to consider the resolutions proposed.
These were as follows:
1. That this meeting endorse
the Preamble and Objectives of the Protectors of Public Lands (Victoria) (PPL
Vic), as resolved at the Launch on 2 November 2003, and adopt these principles
as follows: “Significant public lands do not belong to the Government of the
day, they belong to the people.
Governments must keep these sites in public ownership and control for
present and future generations. Governments must also properly protect,
conserve and manage these sites”.
“ We would seek PPL (Vic)
principles and policies to be embodied in legislation to: Stop the alienation or sale of significant
public lands to private developers; properly and independently assess the
significance of public lands; require assessments to be placed upon State and
Commonwealth Registers; permanently preserve, protect and manage significant
public land sites in public ownership; establish proper and genuine processes
for consulting with the community; recognise and respect the rights of
indigenous communities to their own lands” .
Moved: Janis Rossiter. Seconded: Margaret Heyber. Passed unanimously
2. That this meeting
resolves that the PPL (Vic) Executive Committee be empowered to make
representations to the Victorian State and Federal Governments to enshrine the
principles endorsed by PPL (Vic) in legislation to permanently protect and
retain significant public lands in public hands and, in addition, to return
significant public lands previously alienated from public ownership.
Moved: Brian Cuming.
Seconded: Ronnie Whitmore. Passed unanimously
3. That this meeting
resolves that the PPL (Vic) coalition support and assist constituent members in
campaigns concerning the defence and protection of public lands.
Moved: Keith Wiltshire
Seconded: Craig Forster Passed unanimously
4. That this meeting
resolves that the PPL (Vic) work to establish links with other State-based
public lands protection groups.
Moved: Margot Carroll
Seconded: Ronnie Whitmore Amended as shown with deletion of two words. Passed.
Conclusion: Rod Quantock
thanked all for attending and advised that the report on the forum would be on
the website www.royalparkprotect.org.au