North Canberra Community Council

A reminder to NCCC members that the 2022 AGM is on tomorrow night (from 7pm).

Members should have already received the meeting invite and login details via email, but please reach out to the NCCC Secretary if you require assistance.

The October edition of the NCCC newsletter is now available on our website - https://www.northcanberra.org.au/october-2022-newsletter/

This month's topics include:

- looking at some recent examples of poor behaviour by property developers and highlighting the need for a property developer licensing scheme in the ACT (on that note, we fully support CFMEU ACT's recent campaign on this issue and recommend signing their petition - https://epetitions.parliament.act.gov.au/details/epet-22-029)

- passing on the great news that the Dickson Health Walk-In Centre will be re-opened from late November, and thanking all those involved

- noting some of the key details and stakeholder feedback around the Garden City Cycle Route project (the feasibility study stage is near completion and we look forward to construction commencing ASAP)

- and listing some of the latest development announcements in the inner north

If you're an inner north resident, you can sign up to the NCCC to get the newsletter delivered straight to your inbox.

October 2022 Newsletter - North Canberra Community Council In past couple of weeks, there has several stories that have highlighted the significant power that property developers have over people’s lives and the need for their practises to be properly regulated. One major example relates to the partial collapse of the excavation site at Art Group’s Caly...

Happy Friday to all fellow North Canberrans

For something a bit lighter and different, I thought i'd share a picture from my favourite local photographer (whose identity remains mysterious, but their amazing work can be found at https://twitter.com/ThingsCanberra )

See if you can guess which suburb this bus stop is from (without looking at the twitter caption)

You may recall that the Dickson Walk-in Health Centre was closed last year to relocate staff to work at the COVID walk-in centre in Garran, at a time where there was a high demand across facilities.

While we understand the rationale for the decision at that time, it is clear that the workload for the COVID centre has since decreased and it is time for the Dickson Walk-in Centre to be reopened.

Its continued closure disproportionately impacts the most vulnerable and disadvantaged members of the Inner North community, who lack the means to easily travel to other walk-in centres around Canberra (it’s not reasonable to expect people to sit on a bus for an hour when sick).

We would like to thank the Braddon Collective and the Dickson Residents Group for recently writing to our local representatives to request this be addressed as a priority.

And also acknowledging the response from Ministers Rattenbury and Vassarotti, who advised that they will bring this request to the attention of Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith.

We look forward to seeing the Dickson walk-in health centre opened as soon as possible.

The NCCC couldn't agree more with Minister Berry that we need to build more public housing, but we can't help but notice the Govt has presided over the demolishing of a large number of public housing blocks along the Northbourne corridor and in Civic, to be replaced with entirely with apartments.

The NCCC is also aware that ACT Housing is having to use sales of properties to assist with funds for new social housing programs because of budget restrictions placed upon it (including forced relocations, which ACTCOSS has admirably been fighting against this year - https://the-riotact.com/berry-hits-out-at-actcoss-as-public-housing-relocation-hearings-get-under-way/567063). This is ultimately driving public housing tenants out of North Canberra to areas where land is cheaper.

The ACT Govt needs to allocate more funding (rather than rely so much on 'asset recycling' financing models), and demonstrate a larger commitment to achieving a higher level of social housing than is possible under the present budgetary allocations.

We wrote to Ministers Berry and Vassarotti on this issue earlier this year - you can read the letter (and their reply) on our website - https://www.northcanberra.org.au/act-housing-evictions-2/

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7933953/canberrans-should-welcome-public-housing-in-their-suburbs-minister/

Canberrans should welcome public housing in their suburbs: minister Delays to building new properties hurt people in need, Housing Minister says

Apologies for the radio silence over the past few weeks while I've been out of town, but glad to be back in our (unusually) cold and wet city!

The latest NCCC newsletter has just come out on our website.

This month, we look at whether our urban planning approach is properly considering the roads, cycle lanes, schools and shops needed to cater for our growing population, we highlight some of the latest development announcements for the Inner North and discuss our renewed push to have the terrible Monash Drive proposal removed from the National Capital Plan for good.

https://www.northcanberra.org.au/sep-22-newsletter/

September 22 Newsletter - North Canberra Community Council At last week’s NCCC General Meeting, the issue of integrated planning came to the fore during the Suburban Land Agency’s (SLA) presentation on the indicative land release program in North Canberra over the coming years. One of the areas of focus was Watson Section 76 (a greenfield site between A...

The Estate Development Plan for the proposed redevelopment of the Yowani Golf Course has been put out for consultation.

Purdon Planning will be undertaking community consultation, holding a single consultation session on Wednesday 14 September from 5.30pm, with consultation closing Friday 23 September 2022 (more details at https://www.purdon.com.au/2022/08/31/block-7-section-67-lyneham-yowani-country-club).

The site is obviously well suited for development, but there's a lot of detail to work through, including the Swinden Street Extension, with a seperate DA for the clubhouse and buildings expected to be lodged before the end of the year.

We'll certainly be looking to have Yowani and Purdon Planning deliver a presentation on the development at a future NCCC meeting.

https://the-riotact.com/whats-on-offer-in-yowani-country-clubs-proposed-residential-precinct/591265

What's on offer in Yowani Country Club's proposed residential precinct | Riotact The long-awaited Yowani Country Club redevelopment in Lyneham is a step closer with the release of an Estate Development Plan…

In case you missed it, this excellent ABC article from last week crunched the latest census data for Canberra to draw out some of the distinctions between north and southsiders.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-11/census-data-proves-canberras-north-south-divide/101267070

The article also features an interactive population density map which shows how Canberra has changed over the past 10 years (the charts are available at https://markusmannheim.github.io/maps/population.html).

The map shows the growing density in North Canberra over the last 10 years, particularly in Campbell and along Northbourne Avenue. With many new developments in the pipeline, the map will look markedly 'spikier' in 5 years time.

It is important that the growing population in these areas of North Canberra also receive a commensurate increase in amenities and services.

It will also be important to ensure there are sufficient open green spaces retained, not only for recreation but also to provide a respite on hot days for nearby residents from the urban heat island effect.

Canberra & Queanbeyan's population density A visualisation of population distribution changing over time.

This lovely article on the 125th anniversary of the Petersham Bowling Club is a nice example of how sporting clubs can remain central and cherished institutions in the local community, without relying on pokies revenue or resorting to selling off their land.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/jul/28/roll-on-the-pokie-free-resurrection-of-petersham-bowling-club

Roll on: the pokie-free resurrection of Petersham Bowling Club The beloved Sydney inner-west institution has changed a lot in 125 years, as has the suburb surrounding it

Alice Hathorn from ACT Urban Woodland Rescue gave an excellent presentation to the NCCC at last week's meeting about managing green spaces and integrating greater biodiversity in our suburbs.

While I was broadly aware of the importance of native plant species over exotic plants, Alice's presentation succinctly encapsulated the reasons why, noting that 90% of insects don't recognise exotic plants, which also require higher nitrogen/phosphorous (which damages our waterways).

ACT Urban Woodland Rescue's page is also worth checking out. https://www.facebook.com/acturbanwoodlandrescue

ACT Urban Woodland Rescue ACT Urban Woodland Rescue is committed to protecting and enhancing Canberra’s biodiversity.

A reminder that the NCCC's July General Meeting is being held tonight, online via zoom. Our guest presentation will be provided by Alice Hathorn from ACT Urban Woodland Rescue who will discuss her experience of the restoration of a pocket park in Weston Creek and increasing biodiversity in urban settings more broadly.

This article from last month on the urban sprawl in Sydney's west provides a great illustration of the problems associated with not providing adequate roads, amenities, trees and open space in new developments.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/no-jobs-no-trees-the-suburbs-where-urban-sprawl-is-hurting-sydney-20220609-p5asex.html

No jobs, no trees: The suburbs where urban sprawl is hurting Sydney Sydney’s urban sprawl extends up to 60 kilometres, with plans to build thousands of homes more than 80 kilometres from the CBD.

A reminder that the petition for ACT residents to oppose the proposed waste-to-energy incinerator near Tarago, NSW, closes this week on 30 June.

While the incinerator is being built in NSW, most Canberrans would be aware that the prevailing easterly ‘ocean breeze’ winds that Canberra experiences most evenings (particularly in summer) would cause the pollutants to blow across and spread pollutants throughout the ACT and surrounds.

Signing the petition, which is sponsored by Greens MLA Jo Clay, would also support the local NSW residents in the southern tablelands who have petitioned the NSW Government. This recent Guardian article highlights their concerns.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/mar/27/david-and-goliath-battle-over-waste-to-energy-plan-in-angus-taylors-nsw-seat-generates-electoral-heat

you can sign the petition at this link - https://epetitions.act.gov.au/CurrentEPetition.aspx?PetId=220&lIndex=-1

‘David and Goliath’ battle over waste-to-energy plan in Angus Taylor’s NSW seat generates electoral heat Hume residents fear toxic pollutants will result from an incinerator many feel is being forced upon them

If you're interested in better understanding the legal complexities of strata living, there's a great podcast series that covers a broad range of topics.

Building on the 'EV ready' theme we touched on a few weeks ago, one of the recent episodes discusses how one apartment building achieved unanimous approval for EV charging. They've recently installed EV charging infrastructure and made it available to each resident with a parking space.

One of the presenters also makes an interesting suggestion to real estate websites: why not include an icon on each ad to show if an apartment or building has EV charging available, just like the number of bedrooms, or parking lots?

The podcast (approximately half hour) on EVs is well worth a listen, and there's plenty of other episodes available on the website. https://yourstrataproperty.com.au/315-how-to-get-unanimous-approval-for-ev-charging/

315. How to get unanimous approval for EV charging Zinc Apartments in Sydney's Alexandria recently installed electric vehicle charging infrastructure, making it available to all residents with a parking space. Strata committee member Nathan Hage shares why his community prioritised this issue and steps us through the process.

These pictures of english gardens being left un-mowed look great, and are a nice reminder of the aesthetic and biodiversity benefits of re-wilding.

The gardens of north canberra are particularly well suited to re-wilding innovations that can support local biodiversity.

Even in a small unit backyard in a strata complex, one can deploy 'insect hotels', with some cool homemade designs shown here - https://bit.ly/3mI4cVW

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/may/26/it-looks-beautiful-uk-gardeners-leaving-lawns-uncut-no-mow-may-

‘It looks beautiful’: UK gardeners on leaving lawns uncut for No Mow May People taking part in Plantlife’s conservation project say they have seen plants and wildlife thrive

While the public consultation on the ACT Government’s new Urban Forest Bill closed last week, The Riotact reported on an interesting submission by the ACT chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects on the proposed changes.

They noted that the target of 30 per cent canopy cover by 2045 is comparatively modest, pointing to Melbourne and Ballarat, which are aiming for 40 per cent by 2040, and Hobart for 40 per cent by 2046.

They also noted that for many of Canberra’s new suburbs, especially in the Molonglo Valley, the 30 per cent target will be impossible to meet, noting the smaller block size and the significant amounts of space dedicated to roads and driveways. Wright, for instance, will struggle to reach 19 per cent at best.

You can read more in this RiotACT article - https://the-riotact.com/how-the-acts-modest-tree-canopy-target-will-fail-and-what-to-do-about-it/564419?utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=ra&fbclid=IwAR2G3h8U1s9XFVhp0YQymAu9cc88lyfKY71m0PH_T5qAUe17vX6nS6e55DY&fs=e&s=cl

How the ACT's 'modest' tree canopy target will fail, and what to do about it | Riotact The ACT's 30 per cent tree canopy target is too small, but despite this, some new suburbs will struggle to…

The University of Melbourne is running a trial study called HOMESIDE, which is exploring the effects of music and reading/word-based interventions for people living with dementia and their family caregivers.

The interventions are designed to be personalised to each person’s preferences and needs, and delivered by the family caregivers, who are trained and supported by health professionals throughout the 6-month study.

The interventions will offer opportunities for people with dementia and their family caregivers to share meaningful moments together and give caregivers tools that can help in the care and management of their loved ones.

If any caregivers in North Canberra would be interested in participating, more information can be found at: www.homesidestudy.eu/australia

Australia — Homeside - Partnership in dementia care HOMESIDE is an international study investigating the effects of music and reading activities for people living with dementia and their family caregivers. Previous research indicates that such activities like music and reading may help to increase wellbeing, strengthen relationships, and improve care...

Citynews recently featured a sad story https://bit.ly/3N7dGWi regarding one of the elderly women subject to forced eviction under the ACT Government's 'Growth and Renewal' public-housing relocation scheme. According to data collected by Canberra Community Law, 87 percent of the 340 Housing ACT tenants facing eviction are women living alone or with children.

In March, the NCCC released a statement calling for those tenants who wish to stay where they are for the time being (and that this may mean for the rest of their lives) be removed from the current relocation list. For many tenants, who were told by Housing ACT that they had a 'home for life', the prospect of being forced to leave has caused distress, anxiety and confusion. You can read our statement (which also calls out some of the claims made by ACT Housing about the alleged necessity of their approach) here - https://bit.ly/3Ne3lbh

The NCCC also co-signed (along with many community groups) the open letter from the ACT Council of Social Services to Minister Berry, ACT Minister for Housing, and Minister Vassarotti, ACT Minister for Homelessness and Housing Services, which called for the Growth and Renewal Program to be re-designed as a voluntary program and to also improve the standard of communication with the affected tenants - https://bit.ly/3ancPT6

The mass sell-off of public housing blocks in inner city areas under the banner of 'growth and renewal' is exacerbating a trend of gentrification where the economic value of the land appears to be constantly prioritised over the social and public values of having a diverse and mixed community, especially in areas with high real estate value. It has not escaped the attention of many in the community that the new social housing never seems to be built in prime real estate locations.

Magda, the impacted tenant featured in the CityNews article, believes the relocation is really about "the money that they will get from the land." The NCCC believes that the ACT Government still has an opportunity to reform its social housing policy to address this perception (not just by announcing targets and objectives, but actively taking tangible action to achieve them), and we keenly await their response.

UPDATE: We note that Minister Vassarotti has recently advised that "tenants who have received a letter can apply for a discretion, which will mean they may not have to move. There has been significant work with community partners to ensure this process is transparent, fair and compassionate. I’ve been informed that Housing ACT will distribute information shortly with impacted tenants to help them understand the discretions and support them through that process."

We'll keep members updated on this story and the details of the discretion as it unfolds.

Widow's words to the minister: 'You are heartless' | Canberra CityNews The neighbours of an elderly Canberra widow have spoken out against her forced eviction under a controversial public-housing relocation scheme, reports BELINDA STRAHORN.

A reminder that the public consultation on the draft new ACT Planning Bill closes on 15 June. The Planning Bill, along with the new Territory Plan, will inform the rules and regulations that guide the development of Canberra over the coming decades.

Broadly summarised, the Planning Bill proposes transitioning from a 'rules-based' approach to a 'outcome-based' approach to planning and development in the ACT.

While much of the information available on the Bill oscillates between highly technical legal text on the one hand, and high-level 'glossy brochure' content on the other hand, there are a few articles and papers floating around that summarise the proposed changes in layperson's terms and also outline some of the concerns expressed around its implications.

Ian Bushnell at The RiotACT wrote a fairly succinct summary of the broader context and key changes proposed - https://the-riotact.com/planning-minister-to-lose-call-in-powers-in-draft-planning-bill-out-for-comment/541621

The Canberra Planning Action Group has also published some analysis on their view of the proposed changes - https://www.canberraplanningactiongroup.com/blog

As they broadly summarise: what constitutes good outcomes or 'red tape' is ultimately in the eyes of the beholder. Considering the inherent interests of property developers and the central role that land revenue plays in the ACT Budget, it's not clear that their preferred outcomes will always align with what others might be consider to be good planning outcomes (for example, ensuring our city design is climate-resilient or is providing sufficient affordable&social housing).

You can add your own submission to the ACT Planning Review consultation at the YourSay website - https://yoursayconversations.act.gov.au/act-planning-system-review-and-reform

The ACT Government is also holding an online 'Planning Bill Drop-in Session' this Friday from 12-1.30pm - you can register for the event here - https://teams.microsoft.com/registration/CBlstDQDNkK5eFhe6I5BmQ,IXqVCcFhqES9wBoVTibEFQ,svz3hlg_I06wVEeTBp0tbw,fVRqNRV1XUCnWqsowxPhzA,HvfWqavzT0m2MjcxFLrOaw,QIEqh3y_V0Gedmi8dEu-vg?mode=read&tenantId=b46c1908-0334-4236-b978-585ee88e4199&skipauthstrap=1

If you're aware of any other good articles or have your own views on the Bill, please share in the comments thread.

Planning Minister to lose call-in powers in draft Planning Bill out for comment | Riotact ACT Planning Ministers will lose their development call-in powers and the pre-DA community consultation process will be scrapped under the…

The Canberra Times is reporting that Block 4 Section 57 on Northbourne Avenue, Turner (which is adjacent to Haig Park) is expected to go to auction on 28 June and is expected to attract local and interstate developers.

The Suburban Land Agency delivered a presentation to NCCC members on the project at our April meeting, with a particular focus on the build-to-rent aspect.

At the meeting, NCCC members raised some good questions about how the build-to-rent scheme would actually work and genuinely deliver affordable and secure housing for renters. You can read more (including the SLA's responses) in our April newsletter - https://www.northcanberra.org.au/sapril-22-newsletter/

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7754372/act-govt-to-sell-northbourne-ave-land-for-residential-development/?cs=14329

ACT govt to sell Northbourne Ave land for residential development The land has been vacant for several years after an attempt to sell it in 2019 fell over.

Australia is slowly starting the transition away from internal combustion engines towards electric vehicles and we expect North Canberrans will be among the neighbourhoods driving this change.

We also know from studies that there is an overwhelming preference to charge at home overnight or at workplaces during the day because this is where cars are already parked.

However, most North Canberra apartment buildings are not yet ready for EV charging and will need to install appropriate infrastructure to deliver the most convenient and practical charging option.

For owners’ corporations that are starting to navigate options for retrofitting EV charging into apartment buildings, one of our members has highlighted this useful NSW Government online resource that outlines the steps for how to make your residential strata building EV ready.

It includes an EV charger costing tool, useful tips on how to identify appropriate suppliers and safety precautions.

https://www.energysaver.nsw.gov.au/reducing-emissions-nsw/electric-vehicles/electric-vehicle-ready-buildings

Electric vehicle ready buildings Making buildings EV ready refers to the process of retrofitting an existing building with the electrical infrastructure needed to connect electric vehicle (EV) supply equipment (EVSE) to allow EV charging at home. It involves identifying the building’s maximum electricity demand, the number of cha...