s ydney’s most Guides clean ‘On ya bike comprehensive weekly out City2surf alan’ what’s On guide page 3 page 4 page 19 sydney’s free weekly independent newspaper www.citynews.net.au auGust 12, 2010 Sydney warms up to walk for change By Simon Black Chippendale resident, Michael Mobbs will join an estimated 15 to 30 thousand people taking part in this Sunday’s Walk Against Warming in Sydney. The creator of Sydney’s first self-sufficient house and author of LAYING ‘Sustainable House’ said community actions such as Sunday’s event help to secure government support for the fight against global warming. “A change is clearly happening among ordinary people like us but the politicians just don’t hear it,” he said “they only hear the people that have the money to lobby them. LOCAL “But I think bit by bit there’s a really strong voice being given now to people who are doing this.” Created by the Nature Conservation Council, the event will see hundreds of thousands of people across the country walk to raise awareness about carbon pollution. Sydneysiders will trek from the CBD’s Belmore Park up Elizabeth Street to Bathurst Street then to Castlereagh Street and back to Belmore Park. An estimated 15 to 20 thousand Sydney residents joined up to 90 thousand participants Australia-wide last year and the NCC hopes to see about 30 thousand this year. NCC Chief Executive Officer, Pepe Clarke, said the event puts government members on notice to develop a plan of action to reduce carbon pollution and address climate change. “Less than a week out from the Federal election, the community will send a clear message that although many households and individuals have made the changes needed to reduce their emissions, they now want more effective government action to reduce carbon pollution,” he said. “The majority of the community are sick of waiting for national climate policy.” The City of Sydney continued a four-year long tradition with a $5000 cash grant to the NCC in support of the event. Lord Mayor Clover Moore said in a statement the event closely mirrored the “ambitious greenhouse gas emission reductions targets” outlined as part of Sustainable Sydney 2030. “The City is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, cutting energy consumption and reducing our carbon footprint,” said Ms Moore. “We are proud to help other organisations do the same.” Mobbs said the results he has achieved in his sustainable house are within the reach of most Sydney residents. “If I turn this on now, you only know because I’m telling you it’s coming from the sun,” he said. “There were a lot of people who said I couldn’t do the things I’ve done here but fourteen years on here we are. “You don’t have to change to do this...the best thing about the house is Michael Mobbs that it looks and feels like an ordinary terrace. New tennis tenders ‘worse than the old ones’ by Michael GorMly Faced with a storm of public protest after awarding History of the tennis court saga management of all Council by Michael GorMly the best way to serve the Beaconsfield and across the But these smaller courts tennis courts to a single The tender process came community. inner-city suburbs. Only two would be best run by operator, along with claims that unstuck when Council But Clover’s team of the court complexes are Council as a public service, the tender process had been awarded the contract for all the eventually backtracked after understood to be commercially says former Deputy Lord compromised, Council has re- city’s courts to one operator, a legal opinion tabled by Crs viable: Rushcutters Bay and Mayor Dixie Coulton, whose opened tenders, asserting they effectively evicting Rory Miles Chris Harris (Greens) and Prince Alfred Park. The children learned the game at have a new community focus. who has run the Rushcutters Meredith Burgmann (Labor) remainder are two-court sites Rushcutters Bay. But critics say a myriad of Bay courts for 26 years. said the tender process had with little infrastructure or “These courts are essential hidden conditions in the 500 The move enraged the been irregular because of income potential. to people’s health and fitness,” pages of specifications mean Rushcutters Bay community, communications from three of If Council follows she said. “If the smaller courts the end result will be the same - who packed the gallery at the tenderers to Councillors. community opinion and are not financially viable, a single operator - and Council three Council meetings with The heart of the problem awards management of Council should continue to will have micro-control of all protesters while the Clover appears to be Council’s the two larger sites to their run them as a public service courts down to deciding the Former Moore councillors dug their preference for one operator existing operators, it could instead of acting like a private design of badges staff wear on Deputy Lord heels in, insisting that the to manage all 18 courts, be left with the smaller, corporation, rationalising their shirts and what kind of Mayor Dixie Coulton process and decision was which are spread out from ‘nuisance’ sites. everything in sight.” tables and chairs must be used in associated cafés. Last week Councillors Rushcutters Bay or Prince new staff unless approved by tennis centre could operate or centres will have no personal referred the City News back to unanimously voted for the Alfred Park courts would be Council’s contract manager, function like this.” touch or ambience,” she said. Councillors. However time and new tender criteria which sacked, and this is what is who can also decide what size, “The new rules deprive Asked for comment on space constraints dictate that require, in the words of a upsetting Rushcutters Bay colour and finish the tables contractors of all initiative and the possible probity conflict, we must invite any responses media release, “submissions to residents who support their and chairs are. No signage or creativity, ensuring our tennis Council’s media unit for next week. be evaluated against criteria local operator, Rory Miles. branding will be allowed, and including experience managing But former Councillor Dixie the operator must install online tennis centres, knowledge of Coulton, who lives in Elizabeth booking systems. the industry, community tennis Bay and supports Mr Miles, The operator cannot even programs, coaching ability, says the new criteria are worse decide the names of kiosks, marketing and promotion and than the old ones. a right reserved for Council understanding of local social “Obviously the Council has bureaucrats. Council would and recreational needs”. been working on it for months also decree the court hire fees. “The report also notes the to make it almost impossible Despite this, the operator appointment of a six-person for any contractor or suitable must set out a 3-year business tender review committee private enterprise operator plan estimating actual income, including two independent to tender,” she said. “The controllable expenses, external tennis experts community will be the loser. management fees and a overseen by a probity auditor.” It’s a crippling mix of council guaranteed net profit payment But the staff report presented employee and contractor to Council. to Councillors was still designed to stop any criticism Coaches have to become weighted towards a single of the Council or Lord Mayor.” members of Tennis Australia, operator for all the courts, Ms Coulton listed several creating a conflict of interest beginning with this: “Council problems she believes apply to as the probity committee is seeking to procure an the new criteria: overseeing the tender process operator for its Community It’s no longer a lease but will include two members of Tennis Courts...” a ‘management agreement’ Tennis Australia Girl guides aim for record clean-up An amendment from Cr answerable to a contract “This is not a run-your-own Harris changing the words to manager on every aspect of business, said Ms Coulton. “an operator or operators” was the business. The previous “The operator is effectively by sophie cousins event, NSW Girl Guides enthusiasm, with some going unanimously supported. lease term of 5 x 5 years has an employee of council. Girl Guides are hoping this PR Events Coordinator, to such lengths as climbing A single operator for all been reduced to three, ‘unless Rushcutters Bay Tennis year’s discarded clothing will Margaret Wood holds trees and poles to grab any courts means one of the terminated earlier’. courts did not operate like exceed previous efforts at high hopes for this year’s items left behind. long-term operators of either The operator cannot hire this. Indeed no privately run Sydney’s annual City2Surf. outcome. Numerous involved As runners threw off “We love helping The parents said they were their excess garments, Smith Family by getting all proud of the organisation’s Group Publisher: Lawrence Gibbons approximately 160 Girl the clothing we can get” ongoing commitment to the Group Manager: Chris Peken Guides, aged between 5 she said. community. News Editors: Lawrence Bull, Simon Black and 14 hastily collected the The selling of the “I think having a really Published weekly and distributed to residents in the CBD, Editor-at-large: Michael Gormly items, scouring Hyde Park donated clothing will help cold morning makes you Pyrmont, Ultimo, Surry Hills, Woolloomooloo, Darlinghurst, East Arts Editor: Angela Bennetts and its surrounds, which disadvantaged families and realise there are some people What’s On editor: Komi Sellathurai Sydney, Potts Point, Elizabeth Bay, Rushcutters Bay, Chippendale will be donated to The their children by providing that don’t have warm and Glebe.