14 minute read
Government
What’s On:
Lane Cove
JUNE
LANE COVE PLAZA
First Fridays: Friday 1 June, 3:30pm - 5:00pm. Learn fun ways to beat plastic pollution with free activities, information and live art demonstrations in recognition of World Environment Day on 5 June.
Saturday Sounds: Free live music in Lane Cove Plaza
Alexie Piggot: Saturday 9 June, 10:00am – 12:00pm
Community Concert Series: Lane Cove Concert Band
Saturday 23 June, 10:00am – 12:00pm
ARTS & CULTURE
Refugee Week Film Screening:
Constance on the Edge (M) Monday 18 June, 6:30pm – 8:00pm, Lane Cove Library. Filmed over 10 years, Constance on the Edge is an unflinchingly honest portrayal of one refugee family’s resettlement story in Australia. Bookings essential: 9911 3634
LANE COVE LIBRARY
All events are free. Call 9911 3634 to book.
Library Book Sale: Wednesday 6 June, 10:00am start Knit-in @ Greenwich Library: Thursday 7 June, 10:00am – 12:00pm. Beginners & experienced knitters welcome. Knit-in @ Lane Cove Library: Thursday 7 June, 10:00am – 12:00pm. Beginners & experienced knitters welcome. BookChat – Amazing Women: Tuesday 12 June, 6:00pm – 8:00pm. Our next BookChat is Amazing Women – discovering their stories of courage, adversity and achievements. To join the group you need to register with the Library, select your book and start reading! Short Story Writing Workshop: Wednesday 13 June, 6:00pm – 8:00pm. Keith Whelan has a Degree in Journalism and Media Studies from Griffith College, Dublin and has worked for several national and local newspapers. A Lane Cove Literary Awards Event.
History Talk – Saving the Rats of Tobruk: HMAS Waterhen
& The Scrap Iron Flotilla: Tuesday 19 June, 6:15pm – 8:00pm. Hear Lieutenant Colonel Ron Lyons (Rtd), military historian and battlefield guide with Battle Honours Australia, discuss the role of Waterhen and The Scrap Iron Flotilla during World War II.
Author Talk – Long Bay: A Prison History by Patrick
Kennedy, Thursday 21 June, 6:15pm – 7:30pm. Patrick Kennedy grew up alongside the gaol, and takes us behind the walls of Australia’s hardest prison. His book is a unique blend of storytelling and history, weaving true crime into painstaking research. Movies @ Lane Cove Library – Wonder (2017): Tuesday 26 June, 2:00pm – 4:30pm. Starring Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson and Jacob Tremblay, Wonder is the inspiring and heart-warming story of August Pullman, a boy with facial differences who enters 5th grade, attending a mainstream elementary school for the first time.
Thursday Tunes – Verdi & Puccini: Thursday 28 June, 10:30am – 12:00pm. Hear about the music and lives of the last romantic, operatic composers.
BUSHCARE
Aquatic Park Bushcare: Sunday 24 June, 9:00am – 12:00pm Meet at the Aquatic Park car park, off Mary St, Longueville (above the North Shore Rowing Club). Wear sturdy shoes, a hat and bring some water. Gloves and equipment is provided. Enquiries: Bushcare Co-ordinator Helen Haigh on 9911 3579.
SAVE THE DATE!
Free Child Car Seat Safety Check: Saturday 7 July, 9:00am – 1:00pm. Civic Centre car park (next to Lane Cove Aquatic Centre) Have your child seats, harnesses and booster seats checked. Local residents only. Bookings essential. For more information contact Council’s Road Safety Officer: 9911 3576
For more details on these events visit www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au or call Lane Cove Council on 9911 3555.
P: 0431 959 980 E: ppalmer@lanecove.nsw.gov.au
JUNE 2018
Recent planning changes have made the headlines, but let me bring you up-to-date for Lane Cove specifically. Firstly, there is a new streamlined approval process for medium density housing designs if they comply with State Government guidelines. This may encourage more terrace-style housing developments. For Lane Cove, the new rules would only apply to land that is already zoned as ‘medium density’. Secondly, Lane Cove Council has partnered with Service NSW to reduce the time it takes to open a new cafe, small bar or restaurant. Now there is only one form to complete and a dedicated Business Concierge to assist with the process. Supporting and growing our local business economy continues to be a priority for Council. In other news, the State Government is due to release its St Leonards/Crows Nest precinct plan. This will transform the area with a new metro station and will provide more housing choice and numbers close to the stations along with more job opportunities. In a sensible decision, Lane Cove now has permission to delay its final decision on future development in the neighbouring St Leonards South precinct until after the Government’s plans have been exhibited. All these decisions provide residents with more clarity and certainty and hopefully more confidence in Council’s strategic approach to local planning. If you have any questions, please contact me at mayor@lanecove.nsw.gov.au.
Local news and information
New opening hours Library
In response to the recent library survey Council has adjusted the Library hours so that from 2 July this popular venue will be open from: Monday – Thursday 9:30am – 9:00pm Friday – Saturday 9:30am – 5:00pm Sunday 9:30am – 2.00pm
Korean interest in Lane Cove life
Delegates from South Korea were in Sydney last month and as part of their visit dropped by Lane Cove to see how we implement our Age-Friendly Strategy. It is great to see that Council is recognised at an international level for its efforts in helping to foster an AgeFriendly community.
Out & about in Lane Cove
Solar Powered Bins
Council will soon be installing solar powered bins in two trial locations to confirm their suitability for ongoing use in public places. The bins can hold up to five times more waste by using a solar compactor, reducing the need to empty the bins as frequently.
Have your say on Pedestrian Access
This month Council is seeking feedback on the draft Pedestrian And Mobility Plan. The aim is to provide convenient access and mobility in and around our community so please consider taking a look at the actions: www.lanecove.nsw. gov.au/haveyoursay At our Council meeting last month we adopted the next stage in our five year plan for an Age-Friendly Lane Cove: 2018-2023.
Upgraded Child & Family Health Centre
Local residents accessing the valuable services of the Lane Cove Child & Family Health Centre will benefit from the recently refurbished space at 164 Longueville Road. The refurbishment took place alongside the Council works in the rest of the building. The services are now operating from the upgraded facilities which will no doubt benefit everyone involved.
Gai-mariagal Festival
It was my pleasure to be at Lane Cove’s first event of the regional Gaimariagal Festival. The Children’s Voices for Reconciliation event is a great tradition in Lane Cove with over 22 years of history in our community. For a full list of events taking place in the northern Sydney region between now and NAIDOC Week, visit www.gai-mariagalfestival.com.au
Photography Exhibition
Entries from this year’s Lane Cove Captured Photography competition will be on display from 7 - 16 June at Gallery Lane Cove. For opening hours visit www.gallerylanecove.com.au
Did you know?
The Aboriginal word Mindarie means “the place near which is held a ceremony”. At the May Council meeting it was decided to call the new park coming to the Mowbray Road precinct ‘Mindarie Park’. Local residents would be familiar with the proximity of the park to the nearby Mindarie Street.
Congratulations to all the recipients of Citizenship and Neighbour Day Awards including Citizens of the Year Amanda Harrison and Frank Hamersley (pictured).
Latest Works
• Pram ramps at Longueville/River
Road have been upgraded
• Footpath maintenance has taken place
along parts of Burns Bay Road and a new footpath has been completed in
Murralah Place
• The stairway in Northwood has been upgraded between James Street and
Kelly’s Esplanade
• The roads of Mindarie Street and
Borambil Place have been resurfaced over the past month
Hunters Hill Food and Wine Festival
The 19th Hunters Hill Food and Wine Festival brought together the best of Sydney produce, showcasing it to the biggest crowd ever.
It was my pleasure to declare the Festival open and to welcome patrons to this leading celebration of food and wine.
From renowned wineries to our award-winning restaurants, pubs and cafes, Hunters Hill has some of the world’s best food and wine and Council is proud to support this event and these industries.
Last year, beneficiaries received an impressive $30,000 from the hard work of the volunteers who organise and run this event. This year’s beneficiaries were Sydney Community Services (formerly Ryde-HH Community Services); The Men’s Shed; Hunters Hill State Emergency Services and St John Ambulance.
This community event is so successful that some food stalls ran out of food at 2.00pm and had to send for supplies. I would like to thank the President of the Festival Committee, Mr Robert Erskine OAM and his many volunteers, for the enjoyment provided to so many families and patrons on such a perfect Autumn day.
Hunters Hill Annual Art Exhibition
The official opening of the Hunters Hill Annual Art Exhibition was held in the Hunters Hill Town Hall on Friday 11th May with a massive crowd enjoying works from over 382 artists. Council received 901 entries which regrettably could not all be hung in Since 1955 the Town Hall. An amount in excess of HUNTERS HILL $20,000 in prize money was awarded. The annual exhibition provides a great opportunity to ART EXHIBITION purchase unique original works or simply to enjoy being 11 - 20 May 2018 part of this event which includes an Art Walk to three historic buildings where art was on display. I congratulate Over 350 original Australian artworks Mothers Day Complimentary drink on arrival 20 Pop Up Galleries throughout Hunters Hill the committee, the sponsors and everyone involved for their Art | History Tours - Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 May www.huntershillart.com hard work behind the scenes in presenting this exhibition.
Oracle by Kent McCormack (2017) discover an artwork as unique as you Tracey Dixon
24/4/18 7:22 am
Inclusive playground
A Memorandum of Understanding was completed and signed with Touched By Olivia on 4th April. The MOU allows Touched By Olivia, a not-for-profit charity that specialises in the design and construction of inclusive playgrounds, to undertake community consultation and the completion of a preliminary playground design on behalf of Council. This design will then be used to attract funding for the project and apply for government grants.
A Project Panel has already been established and community consultation has commenced. At its May meeting, Council endorsed the Project Panel’s recommendation that the site for the playground be Boronia Park North in High Street, Hunters Hill. P: 9817 4757 E: lanecove@parliament.nsw.gov.au
As the Minister for Planning and Minister for Housing, I am pleased to announce the introduction of the new Low Rise Medium Density Housing Code and Low Rise Medium Density Design Guide which will encourage the market to provide more diverse housing options by making it easier to build well-designed, quality medium density homes that respect existing neighbourhoods. The new Code will only apply in areas where councils have already permitted medium density housing under their Local Environmental Plan.
The commencement of the Code is deferred until the 6th July, which will allow councils and industry time to prepare for the new changes. Notwithstanding more than two years of consultation with councils together with a well-publicised design competition, some councils have not fully understood the widespread permissibility of medium density uses within their own LEPs.
Thanks to the direction from the Government architect, this is a well-designed code. It is an excellent tool, but the tool is only as good as where council land use zones permit its application.
Overdevelopment is a genuine concern in our communities. The decision to release the Code has shone a light on the extent of medium density uses that some councils have applied in their Low Density Residential Zones.
We are fortunate that Lane Cove Council is well advanced in serving the residents of Lane Cove through having up-to-date and comprehensive strategic planning. Our Council did the right thing and acted some months ago to think carefully about the application of medium density in their local plan.
Despite this, we have to accommodate growth and plan for it. We are also committed to giving people choice in housing stock and ensuring diversity.
Our new planning codes will do all this, however, rest assured we will continue to monitor the roll out of the Code and ensure it’s working well for our community.
P: 9929 9822 E: trent.zimmerman.mp@aph.gov.au
Federal Budget delivers for local residents
In May, the Treasurer handed down the Federal Government’s 2018 Budget.
The Budget provides tax relief to encourage working Australians and reduce the cost of living pressures on households. Disciplined financial management will see the Budget return to surplus a year earlier than predicted. It also affirms the government’s commitment to better fund essential services, like our schools and hospitals. Funding for schools will increase by $24.5 billion over a decade and record hospital funding with new agreements with the states will deliver a 30 percent increase over the previous five years.
For some time, many commentators have decried shortterm decision making which reflects the three-year parliamentary cycle. One of the features of this Budget is a commitment to longerterm planning - be it in taxation, infrastructure or schools.
While the focus of public comment tends to be on the big ticket items, there are other important reforms and initiatives in the Budget.
For example, the government is funding an additional 20,000 home care packages for senior Australians. I was also really pleased with funding for new drugs including for spinal muscular atrophy, breast cancer and HIV as many residents had contacted me about these life-saving treatments. Before entering Parliament, I served on the board of an organisation helping those with epilepsy and their families, and I have been working with the Health Minister to see better support flow for epilepsy management. I was therefore delighted to see those efforts result in increased funding this year. If you would like more information about the Budget, visit: www.budget.liberal.org.au
Trent Zimmerman MP recently hosted a thank you morning tea for community groups, volunteer organisations and schools who donated items for his 2018 Anzac Day Care Packages Appeal.
Care packages for our overseas troops
I recently hosted a thank you morning tea for several community groups, volunteer organisations and schools who generously donated items for my 2018 Anzac Day Care Packages Appeal.
In the lead up to Anzac Day I invited residents and groups to think about donating goods to send to some of the 2000 Australian Defence Force personnel serving overseas – often in very tough places.
The response was amazing. We ended up sending over 100 care packages - which is over 200 kilograms of goods - with Tim Tams being the most popular, along with other non-perishable food, magazines and toiletries.
It has meant a lot to our troops. One service woman messaged me to say that “the generosity of your residents and community groups is overwhelming. It makes our day to know people are thinking of us.”
So a big thank you! We will making this a regular annual appeal.
Supporting those with disabilities
Gig Buddies is a wonderful organisation located in our area which helps those with learning disabilities across our city. They’re a not-for-profit organisation which supports people with learning disabilities and autism. It was founded on the principle that those with mild to moderate learning disabilities or autism should have the opportunity to experience the joys of seeing live bands, theatre sports and other activities.
Gig Buddies steps in and matches volunteers with clients, based on their shared interests and passions. Volunteers commit to taking the person they are paired with to at least one gig or event each month.
I was delighted to recently attend the launch of their plans to go national, which is being helped by a $150,000 grant from the federal government.
If you would like to consider volunteering with Gig Buddies, visit www.gigbuddiessydney.org
Flu vaccines for seniors
The Turnbull government will provide two new groundbreaking flu vaccines to over three million Australians aged 65 years and over - free of charge.
These new vaccines will help provide stronger protection for those most vulnerable to the flu – which can be life threatening. Funding for the vaccines has been fast-tracked to ensure their availability for this year’s flu season. Both vaccines are available through the National Immunisation Program and from your local doctor and some pharmacies.
