Little Action on Demolition Dust by Shine Dighe Undertook a Site Visit and Confi Rmed There Th E Construction of Melbourne’S Was Excessive Dust
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FOR THE MONTHS OF DECEMBER 2014 & JANUARY 2015 ISSUE 05 FREE WWW.CBDNEWS.COM.AU Food Events Nightlife LUNCH TIME 12 AFTER WORK 13 THE WEEKEND 14 FOODIE'S PARADISE GIRL POWER PALACE PROTEST CEO REFLECTS page 2 page 4 page 5 page 7 Little action on demolition dust By Shine Dighe undertook a site visit and confi rmed there Th e construction of Melbourne’s was excessive dust. largest-ever residential Th e demolition company, Guilfoyles, accepted this and agreed to get more hoses development on the former Age for the site. She again called site services on newspaper site in Spencer St September 9 and made a further complaint, and was informed that a notice to comply is causing serious disruptions would be issued, though it was never issued. and health problems to She said council told her it did not have an residents and businesses. environmental health team and that this was the responsibility of the EPA. Residents are frustrated that no one is Guilfoyles does not intend to contact taking responsibility for the air quality and it local residents to arrange a clean-up of appears the authorities are passing the buck. their properties until the construction is Residents, restaurants, shops and even bus completed. shelters are all bearing the brunt of the dust. Ms Tench contacted Guilfoyles requesting Echoing their problems, 270 King St building that it arrange regular cleaning until the manager Terry McKenzie, said: “We are demolition was completed but it has not suff ering from sore throats, dry eyes and done so. other respiratory problems. Some of the Mr Bandt’s offi ce has also asked the council residents have started wearing dust masks.” for substantive compliance responses on a Frustrated residents (from left) Victor Duarte, Terry McKenzie, Jenny and Jason Cameron Th e residents approached the Environment number of occasions and for information Protection Authority (EPA), the City of about what action its environmental health Melbourne and local federal MP Adam Th ey complained about the air quality and shut doors,” he said. offi cers have taken (as recommended by Bandt hoping to fi nd a solution. that the dust was impacting their health. the EPA). Although the EPA has acknowledged there Th ey also needed to clean their windows Mr Bandt summed up the problem was violation of construction guidelines While an environmental health offi cer every day. succinctly: “It has not been clear who has the (as the dust was leaving the area because it attended the site on November 14 and, responsibility to let residents know what is Convenience store owner Victor Duarte said: was not watered down) it washed its hands despite being assured it would receive a happening or to clean their homes.” “We are busy cleaning the store instead of of the problem saying it was not within its response by Wednesday, November 19, focusing on the business.” jurisdiction. nothing has come through. “Th e diff erent groups are currently shirking their responsibility to maintain and enforce He showed CBD News a bucket fi lled with Th e residents were ultimately told it was With six Bates Smart-designed towers a safe worksite. Th is is not good enough. dirt he said was collected after just two hours the council’s responsibility because it was between 39 and 63 storeys, the Industry Residents deserve for the air around their of cleaning his shop. He said that, by the a construction site, and that council should Superannuation Property Trust plans to homes to be clean and safe.” time he fi nished cleaning, his products were involve its environmental health offi cers. build 2994 apartments on the 11,755sqm site covered with dust again. over eight to 12 years. Th e problem started around September 4, Mr Bandt’s constituent liaison offi cer, when residents noticed dust emanating from “We are losing business and I am afraid that, Rebecca Tench, contacted site services at Th e eastern portion of the 250 Spencer St site the demolition of 250 Spencer St. by the time the building is up, I will have to the City of Melbourne, which immediately was sold in April 2010 to Central Equity. 2 CBD NEWS ISSUE 05 Foodie's paradise Suite 108, 198 Harbour Esplanade Living next to the Queen Victoria Market is paradise for a foodie like Marisa Raniolo Wilkins. PO Box 23008 Docklands 8012 Tel: 8689 7980 Fax: 9602 2929 Th e 67-year-old has written two cookbooks, www.cbdnews.com.au one of which is being re-released this month. Advertising Ms Wilkins is a passionate Sicilian, despite Tel: 8689 7980 Fax: 9602 2929 spending limited time there. [email protected] She explained that her Sicilian parents met in Reader contributions are welcome. northern Italy, returning to the island only for Please send articles and images to holidays and, importantly, for Marisa’s birth. [email protected] Th e family emigrated to Adelaide in 1959 Th e deadline for the February edition is and Marisa and husband Bob Evans moved January 22, 2015 to Melbourne 13 years ago. Ms Wilkin’s expertise is seafood and is Follow us on Twitter surprised Australians don’t eat more of it. @CBD_News_3000 She said, rural Sicilians were largely meat eaters but her family had always been city Like us on Facebook dwellers and, therefore, focused on fi sh. cbdnewsmelbourne Another by-product of European city life is apartment-dwelling which is why she feels CBD News is owned and operated by so at home in the CBD. Shane Scanlan ([email protected]. au) and Shine Dighe (shine@cbdnews. She and Bob have a car but use it only rarely. com.au). Mostly, they get around the city on foot and via public transport. She’d always wanted to 20,000 copies are printed and write a cookery book but didn’t get a chance distributed within Melbourne's CBD until she gave up teaching. each month. 15,000 of these copies are delivered by Australia Post into Eight years later, she fi nished the manuscript every residential and business letterbox for Sicilian Seafood Cooking and, fi nally, in within postcode 3000. Th e other 2011 had it published. 5000 copies can be found in cafes, Th e publisher provided a photographer and restaurants, supermarkets and bars a food stylist for the occasion and Marisa throughout the city. cooked 75 meals over a four-day period. If your business wants to connect with “I was so pleased my neighbours were away CBD Melbourne, speak with us about so I could use their fridge,” she laughed. advertising. Marisa says the community spirit within her View expressed by contributors are not building and beyond is strong. those of the publishers. “I have a terrifi c relationship with the stall Contributions and letters to the editor holders at the market so I always get the best are welcomed. Send words and quality food.” pictures to [email protected] Charity gets a paint make-over When 17 Rotarians from the Rotary Clubs of McAuley House accommodates about 20 Central Melbourne-Sunrise and Melbourne homeless women, typically aged 30-50. Park agreed to paint the fence at McAuley Central Melbourne-Sunrise Rotary has been House, North Melbourne, they didn’t expect doing working bees there for several years, the job would need 30 litres of paint. transforming the gardens and grounds and Check out CBD news online giving the women outdoor recreation spaces. www.cbdnews.com.au Th at’s what it took to paint 60 metres of pickets and palings last month. Like to help? [email protected] LOOKING FOR A PHYSIO IN THE CITY? OFF* Come and visit us at our central location. We specialise in sports, spinal, pregnancy, headaches and Pilates. Level 9, 289 Flinders Lane Melbourne 3000 - (03) 9663 2043 - www.vivaphysiotherapy.com *Mention this ad and we’ll give you 10% off your first appointment physiotherapy ISSUE 05 CBD NEWS 3 Season's greetings Dear reader ... Th anks for your kind words and encouragement during our fi rst fi ve months of operation. As this is our fi nal publication for the year, we would like to extend our thanks and best wishes for the holiday season. Like the little girl in awe of the Myer window (pictured right) may you fi nd peace and happiness with family and friends at Christmas. Stay safe, recharge, celebrate in moderation and come back refreshed and invigorated in 2015. Yours sincerely, Shine Dighe and Shane Scanlan Publishers. Council compromised by donations the Minister for Planning for permission Riley responded to a question from CBD were unable to conduct business today City of Melbourne councillors to increase the height of the building News on whether or not, in hindsight, so, whether or not the current law is being from 105m to 148m and the number of it was appropriate to accept developer adhered to, the point needs to be made that were unable to consider a apartments from 382 to 557. Th e site falls contributions. the current law can result in quorum being within a 100m discretionary height zone. lost and in decisions not being made and planning application last “I think at the time we were, I won’t say that, in and of itself, is proof that the current misinformed, but I think we were unaware month because too many of Th e Minister has asked the council for its system needs to be reviewed.” them had received election view on the application but councillors were of the consequences of the team taking unable to consider the matter because four donations,” Cr Riley said.