Thursday, 8 December 2005

Iemma to make sweeping changes to PPPs, The Australian, 8 December, 2005.

Iemma to make sweeping changes to PPPs: [1 All-round Country Edition]

Ean Higgins, John Stapleton. The Australian; Canberra, A.C.T. [Canberra, A.C.T] 08 Dec 2005: 4.
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NSW Premier Morris Iemma will today announce sweeping changes to the way the state deals with public-private partnerships, especially toll roads.
In another day of high drama, Mr Iemma called for a reduction in the $3.56 one-way toll. However tunnel chief Peter Sansom said not only would there be no reduction in the toll, but that his company would sue if the Government tried to undo road closures forcing cars into the tunnel.
Mr Debnam said the Government and the tunnel operators must come clean on what roads they would allow to be reopened, and reverse the effective sell-off of public roads. "The NSW Premier needs to explain to the public why they have stubbornly refused to reopen roads when their own legal advice shows they could do so without penalty," he said.
NSW Premier Morris Iemma will today announce sweeping changes to the way the state deals with public-private partnerships, especially toll roads.
In an attempt to draw a line under the politically damaging controversy over tolled tunnels, which is threatening Labor's chances of re-election in 2007, Mr Iemma will say that future motorway projects that involve the private sector will require a much higher degree of transparency and state control.
The state Government will in future retain a greater say over setting the tolls and the closure or restriction of competing roads.
The announcement is based on a study by bureaucrat David Richmond, which Mr Iemma commissioned in late October.
It will be aimed at differentiating his administration from that of his predecessor, Bob Carr, under whose watch controversial private projects such as Sydney's Cross City Tunnel and Lane Cove Tunnel were commissioned.
The Cross City Tunnel in particular has been a major embarrassment to the Government, attracting hostility with its high price and the closure of surface roads to force people to use it.
In another day of high drama, Mr Iemma called for a reduction in the $3.56 one-way toll. However tunnel chief Peter Sansom said not only would there be no reduction in the toll, but that his company would sue if the Government tried to undo road closures forcing cars into the tunnel.
Mr Sansom called a press conference to announce the reversal of statements he had made under oath to a parliamentary inquiry on Tuesday, when he said the company would not sue for compensation if roads in the up-market suburbs of Paddington and Woollahra were restored to normal.
"It is extremely legally complex. We are not dropping the toll and we are not changing the roads. We have a contract with theGovernment," he said yesterday.
The Opposition produced advice from law firm Clayton Utz to the Government about the contract, which showed more than 50 of the72 public roads shut, narrowed or altered could be returned to their original function without triggering compensation claims by theproject owners.
Mr Debnam said the Government and the tunnel operators must come clean on what roads they would allow to be reopened, and reverse the effective sell-off of public roads. "The NSW Premier needs to explain to the public why they have stubbornly refused to reopen roads when their own legal advice shows they could do so without penalty," he said.
Meanwhile, at the inquiry into the tunnel, former premier Nick Greiner rejected a suggestion from Greens MP Lee Rhiannon that construction firm Baulderstone Hornibrook, with which he is associated, had won the contract to build the tunnel because it contributed $100,073 in recent years to the NSW ALP.
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Monday, 5 December 2005

Anger at plan to split up Sydney, The Australian, 5 December, 2005.

Anger at plan to split up Sydney: [2 All-round First Edition]

Stapleton, John. The Australian; Canberra, A.C.T. [Canberra, A.C.T] 05 Dec 2005: 8.
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The 25-year plan, hailed yesterday by NSW Premier Morris Iemma as a blueprint to secure Sydney as Australia's gateway to the world, was derided by the Opposition as "just a collection of coloured drawings".
Mr Iemma claimed Cities: A Plan for Sydney's Future would provide a city centre within easy reach of every Sydney family.
Measures to safeguard farmland on the urban fringe, and to protect Sydney's $1 billion a year agriculture industry, are included. An early part of the plan, a new tollway through western Sydney, will open on December 16, eight months ahead of schedule. The $1.5 billion Westlink M7, funded mainly by the private sector and the federal Government, will be a fully electronic toll road that uses a distance-based tolling system.
SYDNEY will be turned into a network of five different cities over the next quarter of the century.
The 25-year plan, hailed yesterday by NSW Premier Morris Iemma as a blueprint to secure Sydney as Australia's gateway to the world, was derided by the Opposition as "just a collection of coloured drawings".
Mr Iemma claimed Cities: A Plan for Sydney's Future would provide a city centre within easy reach of every Sydney family.
But Opposition planning spokesman Chris Hartcher said the proposal just papered over divisions between two of the state's most senior ministers.
Mr Hartcher said the secret behind the City to Cities announcement was that it was devoid of proper infrastructure planning and revealed a rift between Infrastructure Minister Michael Costa and Planning Minister Frank Sartor.
He said Mr Costa had wanted to include infrastructure in the strategic plan but had been over-ruled. "This battle has been waging massively," he said.
"This is the architect's plan for a house without the tradesmen or the materials. As long as the NSW Government refuses to put up an infrastructure plan, it is simply a collection of coloured drawings."
Mr Iemma said Sydney would be divided into 10 new sub-regions to cater for predicted population increases and to ensure housing affordability, with detail being released in coming months.
By 2031, Sydney is expected to have an additional 1.1 million residents, 500,000 new jobs and 640,000 extra dwellings.
The five cities will be based around the CBD and North Sydney as well as Parramatta, Penrith and Liverpool in the city's west.
Mr Iemma said the report would provide a framework to secure Sydney's status as Australia's gateway to the world.
"This plan is about making Sydney a better place to live -- managing growth and sharing our prosperity across an expanding city," he said.
"This means the infrastructure needs of our expanding communities are met at the same time as new suburbs develop. It delivers jobs, housing, transport, shopping, recreation, culture and waterside facilities within easy reach of every Sydney family. Sydney's dynamism has spread far beyond the traditional central business district."
Greens MP Sylvia Hale criticised the plan as a rehash of existing initiatives and merely a public relations exercise.
"There is certainly nothing in this document that will improve the long-term liveability of Sydney," she said. "The Government has clearly abandoned any pretence at real planning."
The scheme includes the establishment of a new Employment Lands Advisory Group to ensure Sydney has an adequate supply of industrial land.
As well as the creation of 43 new bus corridors, the plan involves the construction of an $8 billion rail extension to Sydney's northwest and southwest.
Measures to safeguard farmland on the urban fringe, and to protect Sydney's $1 billion a year agriculture industry, are included. An early part of the plan, a new tollway through western Sydney, will open on December 16, eight months ahead of schedule. The $1.5 billion Westlink M7, funded mainly by the private sector and the federal Government, will be a fully electronic toll road that uses a distance-based tolling system.
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City plan reveals 'crack in ministry', The Australian, 5 December, 2005.

City plan reveals `crack in ministry': [1 All-round Country Edition]

Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 05 Dec 2005: 8.
Show highlighting
Rather than the detailed framework that Premier Morris Iemma claimed would provide a city centre within easy reach of every Sydney family, Opposition planning spokesman Chris Hartcher said it just papered over a split between two of the state's most senior ministers.
The five cities will be based around the CBD and North Sydney as well as Parramatta, Penrith and Liverpool in the city's west. Mr Iemma said the report would provide a framework to secure Sydney's status as Australia's gateway to the world.
Measures to safeguard farmland on the urban fringe, and to protect Sydney's $1 billion a year agriculture industry, are also included. An early part of the plan, a new tollway through western Sydney, will open on December 16, eight months ahead of schedule. The $1.5 billion Westlink M7, funded mainly by the private sector and the federal Government, will be a fully electronic toll road that uses a distance-based tolling system.
A 25-YEAR plan by the NSW Government to divide Sydney into five mini-cities and make it Australia's gateway to the world has been attacked as "just a collection of coloured drawings".
Released yesterday, City of Cities: A Plan for Sydney's Future, would turn the NSW capital into a network of five cities over the next quarter of a century.
Rather than the detailed framework that Premier Morris Iemma claimed would provide a city centre within easy reach of every Sydney family, Opposition planning spokesman Chris Hartcher said it just papered over a split between two of the state's most senior ministers.
Mr Hartcher said the secret behind the City to Cities announcement was that it was devoid of proper infrastructure planning and revealed a rift between Infrastructure Minister Michael Costa and Planning Minister Frank Sartor.
He said Mr Costa had wanted to include infrastructure in the strategy plan but had been over-ruled. "This battle has been waging massively," he said.
"This is the architect's plan for a house without the tradesmen or the materials. As long as the NSW Government refuses to put up an infrastructure plan, it is simply a collection of coloured drawings."
Mr Iemma said Sydney would be divided into 10 new sub-regions to cater for predicted population increases and to ensure housing affordability, with detail being released in coming months.
By 2031, Sydney is expected to have an additional 1.1 million residents, 500,000 new jobs and 640,000 extra dwellings.
The five cities will be based around the CBD and North Sydney as well as Parramatta, Penrith and Liverpool in the city's west. Mr Iemma said the report would provide a framework to secure Sydney's status as Australia's gateway to the world.
"This plan is about making Sydney a better place to live -- managing growth and sharing our prosperity across an expanding city," he said.
"This means the infrastructure needs of our expanding communities are met at the same time as new suburbs develop. It delivers jobs, housing, transport, shopping, recreation, culture and waterside facilities within easy reach of every Sydney family. Sydney's dynamism has spread far beyond the traditional central business district."
Greens MP Sylvia Hale criticised City of Cities as a rehash of existing initiatives and nothing more than a public relations exercise.
"There is certainly nothing in this document that will improve the long-term liveability of Sydney," she said. "The Government has clearly abandoned any pretence at real planning."
The scheme includes the establishment of a new Employment Lands Advisory Group to ensure that Sydney has an adequate supply of industrial land.
As well as the creation of 43 new bus corridors, the plan involves the construction of an $8 billion rail extension to Sydney's northwest and southwest.
Measures to safeguard farmland on the urban fringe, and to protect Sydney's $1 billion a year agriculture industry, are also included. An early part of the plan, a new tollway through western Sydney, will open on December 16, eight months ahead of schedule. The $1.5 billion Westlink M7, funded mainly by the private sector and the federal Government, will be a fully electronic toll road that uses a distance-based tolling system.
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A jock and sock XMAS as lasting gifts fit the bill, The Australian, 5 December, 2005.

A jock and sock Xmas as lasting gifts fit the bill: [1 All-round Country Edition]

Sid Maher, John Stapleton. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 05 Dec 2005: 8.
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NRA executive director Patrick McKendry said this was a modest target, just ahead of inflation, which took into account that retailers in recent months have faced some of the toughest trading conditions since the introduction of the GST in 2000.
Mr McKendry's prediction of another record echoes the confidence of Woolworth's boss Roger Corbett who last month predicted a good Christmas trading period. Other major retail bosses have been less sure of a bumper season.
Mr McKendry said record petrol prices, falling house values and the interest rate increase in the first half of the year meant shoppers would be looking for more practical gifts.
RETAILERS have predicted another record spending spree this Christmas, but shoppers are likely to opt for more practical "jocks and socks" style gifts as tighter economic conditions bite.
The National Retail Association yesterday predicted a Christmas spending increase of 4.5per cent this year, which would take the national splurge on thefestive season to more than $22.6 billion.
But NRA executive director Patrick McKendry said this was a modest target, just ahead of inflation, which took into account that retailers in recent months have faced some of the toughest trading conditions since the introduction of the GST in 2000.
Mr McKendry's prediction of another record echoes the confidence of Woolworth's boss Roger Corbett who last month predicted a good Christmas trading period. Other major retail bosses have been less sure of a bumper season.
Mr McKendry said record petrol prices, falling house values and the interest rate increase in the first half of the year meant shoppers would be looking for more practical gifts.
"I think we are going to see a lot more jocks and socks type purchases as people say `look we want this thing to keep going beyond the Christmas period'."
But he said technology, such as entertainment systems, iPods, MP3 players, plasma televisions would remain popular.
Mr McKendry said there was some "pent up demand" for spending after three quiet months following the spike in oil prices.
For some the rush has already arrived. The homeware store Holy Sheet in King Street, Newtown, in Sydney's inner-west, was packed all day yesterday.
"I have sold so many Christmas trees today," said shop assistant Lynda Lemmon.
"They are trying to get things organised, coming in with their lists," Ms Lemmon said. "This year, instead of buying a gift pack, they are loving putting together gift packs."
Graphic designer from Newtown Shigemi Nakamura-Simms, 45, was out buying Christmas presents yesterday and said she loved doing it. "To find a Christmas present for friends is always nice, to find something special for friends is very satisfying. It is always better to get your shopping done before the rush starts, there is always a bigger range."
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Friday, 2 December 2005

Tunnel toll's back ... and so is traffic chaos, The Australian, 2 December, 2005.

Tunnel toll's back ... and so is traffic chaos: [1 All-round Country Edition]

Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 02 Dec 2005: 8.
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The chaos came ahead of a NSW upper house inquiry into the tunnel. Public hearings begin next week, with former premier Bob Carr, who oversaw the tunnel contract, to be questioned.
"Patronage has collapsed," he said. "The toll-free period is over and the Cross City Tunnel is back to being a ghost tunnel. Community outrage is centred on thetheft of public roads. The first priority is to reclaim the streets around the tunnel."
One of the protesters, Jo Holder, from the Darlinghurst Residents Action Group, said drivers regarded it as "absolutely bizarre" that the tunnel had been promoted as being in the public interest. She said the toll-free period had allowed further closure of local roads to funnel motorists into the tunnel.

THE reintroduction of tolls on the controversial 2.1km Cross City Tunnel brought Sydney's central business district to a virtual standstill yesterday.
The decision to once again charge motorists after a five-week toll-free period saw patronage fall by almost half.
The chaos came ahead of a NSW upper house inquiry into the tunnel. Public hearings begin next week, with former premier Bob Carr, who oversaw the tunnel contract, to be questioned.
High costs and the closure of roads to force people into the tunnel has outraged drivers and led to massive traffic jams.
The NSW Government yesterday voted down a Greens motion for the daily publication of the number of cars using the tunnel.
But the operators released figures showing a 44per cent drop in the number of people using the tunnel following the reintroduction of the $3.56 toll.
The toll-free period cost the company about $4.4million in lost revenue. CrossCity Motorway chief executive Peter Sansom said he was happy with theoutcome, and yesterday's figures were up 14per cent on the figures in mid-October, before the toll-free period. "We have always believed patronage would grow slowly," he said.
Roads and Traffic Authority spokesman Ken Boys said yesterday's peak-hour congestion was not as bad as some had predicted.
But NSW Opposition Leader Peter Debnam described as laughable claims that traffic chaos was not a result of the reintroduction of fees and called on theIemma Government to immediately renegotiate the contract and reopen those streets closed as a result of the tunnel.
"Patronage has collapsed," he said. "The toll-free period is over and the Cross City Tunnel is back to being a ghost tunnel. Community outrage is centred on thetheft of public roads. The first priority is to reclaim the streets around the tunnel."
Premier Morris Iemma ruled out altering the tunnel contract, despite the congestion.
About 50 protesters, including local residents and Greens members, demonstrated near the Kings Cross opening, waving banners demanding that public roads be returned to the people.
One of the protesters, Jo Holder, from the Darlinghurst Residents Action Group, said drivers regarded it as "absolutely bizarre" that the tunnel had been promoted as being in the public interest. She said the toll-free period had allowed further closure of local roads to funnel motorists into the tunnel.
"It is devastating for local business, it is bad for residents and it is bad for workers who can't afford the toll," she said.
NRMA motoring and services division president Alan Evans said: "We now have traffic congestion in the city at a greater level; you have more frustrated motorists. It is time the Government admitted its mistake.
"I have a simple message: give us back our streets."

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