Update 27 May 2010
Date: 27-May-10
Author: Peter Firminger
Hi All,
Comments at the end relating to Cessnock Planning Powers and the Save Cessnock Rally.
Short Dance Films and talk at Cessnock Performing Arts Centre
Date: Friday 28-May-10 at 5:00 pm
Category: Film
In conjunction with the exhibition Reading The Body (closing this weekend), Cessnock Regional Art Gallery and Cessnock Performing Arts Centre present a screening of a selection of recent short dance films by the award-winning artist and choreographer Sue Healey, followed by a talk by the artist in which she discusses her development from choreographer to film-maker to installation artist.
The Wizard of Oz at Maitland Town Hall
Date: Continues Friday and Saturday at 8pm - closing Sunday May 30 at 2pm
DIRECTOR - Jeanette Massey
MUSICAL DIRECTOR - Daniel Dow
Maitland Gilbert & Sullivan & Musical Society Inc.
Cupcakes for Cancer
Date: Saturday 29-May-10 at 8:00 am
Come down to Wollombi Village between 8am and 1pm on Saturday (on your way to the Wollombi Valley Progress Association Meeting at 10am) and buy a decorated cup cake or three or a dozen to have with your coffee and tea, as part of The Cancer Council's Biggest Morning Tea in the valley. They will be set up in the Museum grounds, or if raining, in the Cultural Centre. Can't make it? Please go to Wollombi Cupcakes for Cancer on the Cancer Council website & donate.
Wood Chop and End of Days at Ellalong Hotel
Date: Saturday 29-May-10 at 11:00 am
Category: Sport/Music
Some of the best woodchoppers in NSW will feature at the Ellalong Hotel Wood Chop on Saturday 29 May.Along with the competition there will be a sponsors contest, face painting, a jumping castle and a BBQ lunch in the grounds of the hotel, along with lunch and dinner at the Fork 'n' View Restaurant. In the evening, live entertainment from young rockers - End of Days
Biodynamics - an introduction to regenerative farm and environment practices
Date: 29 and 30 May 2010
Biodynamics is a cost effective method of producing high quality plants, food and fibre with regenerative ecological outcomes.
This two-day workshop at Krinklewood Vineyard in Broke will explain how biodynamic preparations contribute to the soil food web, creating fertility and balance in soils.
Next week
The Dennis Boys Band ALBUM LAUNCH! @ Laguna
Date: Friday 04-Jun-10 at 7:30 pm
Category: Music
They play country music the way it's meant to be played - gritty and aggressive with tight arrangements, great chops and beautiful singing. The result owes as much to Led Zeppelin as it does to Hank Williams and Elvis, its unmistakable country twang tempered by vicious guitars and a solid groove that's flipped wigs in city venues as righteously as in the Laguna Wine Bar.
Love From Beijing at Cessnock Regional Art Gallery
Date: Opens 5 June to 11 July 2010
Category: Exhibitions
Recent work by photographers Johanna Trainor - who has recently returned from a residency in Beijing, and Kristin Wright - whose series 'Looking for Love in all the Wrong Places, explores the issues of identity a young woman can encounter - and not just in a country town.
And tomorrow...
65 Roses Day
Date: Friday 28 May 2010
65 Roses Day is the annual national awareness day for Cystic Fibrosis (CF) in Australia. This special day was named after the folklore story of a little boy who could not pronounce his sister's condition, Cystic Fibrosis, and instead called it "65 Roses".
It seems very likely that the Planning Minister Tony Kelly WILL remove planning powers from Cessnock Council (the elected Councillors, not the arguably incompetent Council Planners).
He has demanded a response from Council (due tomorrow) as to why he shouldn't appoint a regional planning panel, yet refuses to tell the Council what the issues are and what they are responding to - or anything in fact - not answering emails and letters nor phone calls. He has said more to The Herald (letter to the editor) than he has to Council!
The only mechanism he needs is to give 21 days notice. That's democracy? We vote for a Council we (as a wider community) trust so we can have input on development and the Sydney Government takes them away and cuts us out of the process without showing cause!
The meeting (rally) on Monday chaired by Deputy Mayor, Clr Ian Olsen, was not attended by ANY of the Labor councillors (nor Kerry Hicky), and Mayor, Clr Alison Davey and her (very pregnant) Ward A side-kick Clr Rachael Main were also conspicuously absent (though Clr Main made it to last night's Council meeting ok so I'm taking pregnancy out of the equation).
Clr Cordelia Burcham (Liberal) is proving to be the star of Ward A as far as democracy and transparency is concerned, and (as she's on this list) I thank her openly. Clr Neil Gorman (Nationals) and James Ryan (Greens) also spoke along with Imants Magrics, Roger Lewis and Lance Beckett from the community and Sylvia Hale MLC, the Greens spokesperson on Planning in the NSW Upper House.
The Upper House has given the Minister 14 days to produce the complaints in relation to this (which funnily enough seem to date back to the last Labor-dominated council term), but that deadline falls after this one, so he can do it before responding. It is assumed that he will take the powers from the council on Monday - leaving the Cessnock Community with no access to comment on planning issues. Huge NSW Labor Party contributors will again have a clearer path to planning approval without local scrutiny, even though the council has a Labor minority.
The Opposition Leader will be asked if they will return the planning powers to Cessnock Council when elected in March.
More here: http://tinyurl.com/save-cessnock-2
303 days to go until NSW frees itself from tyranny
For the record, I am a member of Cessnock-Kurri Greens. Have a great weekend!
Peter Firminger
Comments (1)
Posted: 27-May-10 18:09 by Peter Firminger Permalink
I've received a number of phone calls and emails about this post, and as far as I'm concerned my job is 80% done as people are talking about it (and I agree to most of what other people have said).
Yes, the problems come down basically to the General Manager and the Mayor ensuring their planning staff are doing their job effectively. But that does NOT mean that the citizens of the Cessnock LGA should lose their right to lobby their elected councillors on planning matters.
Yes, the Planners make the recommendations but if there is a potential problem or significant negative submissions to an exhibition, the matter is referred up to the chamber for debate - that's what we lose.
There are many cases (including the LEP) where State Government departments are just as much to blame for holding up applications and other processes. The goalposts on the LEP keep moving, but they don't tell us that. We just wait and wait... June 16 is when it is due to come back to council.
The GM position will be advertised soon...
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