Protectors of Public Lands (Victoria)

KEEP PUBLIC LANDS IN PUBLIC HANDS

In October 2001, the Royal Park Protection Group (RPPG), which had been campaigning to save the Royal Park Psychiatric Hospital, established contact with the Friends of Callan Park NSW over threats to Callan Park. The threats to parkland and heritage of the Psychiatric Hospital in inner Sydney was a close parallel to our Royal Park Psychiatric Hospital in Parkville; Callan Park has 61 hectares of parkland (Royal Park 20 hectares), both have heritage buildings on the site; Callan Park has prime real estate land on Sydney Harbour (Royal Park prime real estate in Parkville); loss of Callan Park posed a potential threat to sitting member Sandra Nori in the Port Jackson electorate (loss of Royal Park nearly unseated Bronwyn Pike in Melbourne electorate in the 1999 State election); both are Koori traditional land; both have been threatened by residential developments. (1,200 units were planned for Callan Park and 1,000 are proposed for Royal Park). Callan Park has been saved, Royal Park lost.

Through the Friends of Callan Park, the RPPG kept track of the formation of the Protectors of Public Lands in NSW. It was formed in 2001 and is a coalition of local councils, community and peak environment groups. PPL NSW was initially hosted by Leichhardt Council and is now hosted by the National Trust of NSW. PPL is on the National Trust website www.nsw.nationaltrust.org.au/ppl.html. The PPL (Vic) is on the Royal Park Protection Group website www.royalparkprotect.org.au

On 8 September 2002 RPPG held a Rally on Royal Park Hospital site with Greens representative, Ian Cohen MLC in NSW Parliament, as guest speaker. He spoke on PPL NSW and the Callan Park (Special Provisions) Act 2002 (NSW). This and the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust Act 2001 (Commonwealth) were passed as a direct result of PPL members – Friends of Callan Park and Defenders of Sydney Harbour Foreshores.

The saving of Callan Park and the action of PPL NSW was publicised at the 24 November 2002 pre election Greens Rally “Picnic in the Park with Bob Brown” organised by RPPG funded by the Greens. This was held at the Royal Park Hospital site.

On 2 November RPPG launched the Protectors of Public Lands (Victoria) at a rally at the gates of the Royal Park Psychiatric Hospital. Kenneth Davidson, Age newspaper writer, was the guest speaker and a range of community, parks and environment groups attended (These included some of PPL Vic founding members Friends of the Earth (FOE), Kew Cottages Coalition, Nunawading Park and Wildlife Action Group, Save Albert Park, Save Barrett Reserve, Save Our Suburbs, R.A.I.D.(Brunswick), and Westernport and Peninsula Protection Council). A resolution concerning the objectives for PPL (Vic) and for adoption of the slogan “Keep Public Lands in Public Hands” was passed.

On 12 January 2004 PPL (Vic) held it first meeting and elected an interim Committee with one of its first tasks to organise a Public Forum.

The Age has published a number of articles on PPL (Vic). These were “Land Under Pressure” and “On the ground where Victoria’s wars are fought” in the Sunday Age of 28 December 2003. Also “If the Government won’t save our valuable public spaces perhaps people power will” by Kenneth Davidson in the Age of 22 December 2003.

In the first week of January 2004 Save Brunswick Gym (a PPL supporter) had a success – Health Minister announced that the Bracks Government had backed off from demolition and so saved the Gym.

On 12 January 2004 PPL supporters attended the RPPG picket and protest at the Royal Park Games Village site when construction started and held off trucks for one day, but work is proceeding.

The PPL (Vic) now has nearly 40 groups formally supporting the organization.

Julianne Bell, Convenor, RPPG and Acting Secretary PPL Vic 98184114 or 0408022408 15/2/2004