North Sydney Sun August 2021 issue

National design comp for bike ramp * Waterhen upgrade * Push-polling mystery

August 2021/Issue 6

News and views for North Sydney’s residential and business communities

www.northsydneysun.com.au

Designs released for North Sydney Demo upgrade The NSW state government has released the design concepts for the planned upgrade of North Sydney Demonstration School in Waverton.

The upgrade includes 19 new and refurbished classrooms and a new administration area, library, and hall. It also features a new covered outdoor learning area, upgrades to the canteen and student amenities, and a new entrance gate on Bay Road.

State member for North Shore Felicity Wilson acknowledged the work of the entire school community in cocreating the vision for the school, even during the challenges of the past 18 months and learning from home.

“Our current and future school community at North Sydney Dem have a big part to play in this project, so that together we can deliver modern and best-in-class facilities,” Wilson said.

“With more families calling North Sydney home, this much-loved school is getting a well-deserved makeover, with 19 new classrooms, new outdoor play spaces, a new library plus a new hall. And our hard-working school staff will be relocated to a brand new administration space.”

“I want to thank the entire school community for their ongoing support

for this project. Their vision has now come to life on paper, and with their feedback, we can move quickly to get shovels in the ground.”

State education minister Sarah Mitchell said the upgrade at North Sydney Demonstration School was part of the NSW Government’s ongoing commitment to delivering new and upgraded schools right across the state.

“I’m proud that the NSW Government is delivering on this important project at North Sydney Demonstration School. It will benefit the school and the local community for years to come,” Mitchell said.

The designs were recently displayed online so that parents, families, staff, and the local community can bring forward their ideas to help co-create the state of the art project.

These new facilities will allow the school to accommodate up to 1000 students.

In terms of next steps, a State Signif -icant Development application will be lodged with the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.

The Department of Education says the designs currently on display of the Continued on page 2

Local elections postponed to December 4 Local government elections have been postponed until December 4 from their original September date, reflecting the difficulties of holding an election in the COVID lockdown environment.

Despite this, many of the likely candidates have already declared themselves as starters for the election, which in North Sydney will elect five councillors each from two wards.

The last two issues of the Sun have already reported on some of the major tickets in the race, including Team Jilly, Labor for North Sydney, North Sydney 1st and Team Spenceley.

The Sun can reveal that councillor Ian Mutton has teamed up with councillor Jessica Keen’s Community First ticket. He will head the ticket in Cammerygal Ward (east and south) and Keen will head the ticket in St Leonards Ward (north and west).

Asked why he had joined up with Keen, Mutton told the Sun: “Our views as can be seen by our voting positions on Council are largely in line on everything from open green space to sport-

ing fields, to accountability.” The move also gives Mutton a boost in the Neutral Bay area where Keen has a strong profile but can no longer leverage by running in the northern ward.

Another group running tickets in both wards is the Sustainable Australia Party, with its St Leonards ticket headed by the party NSW president William Bourke.

Bourke told the Sun he has a full ticket of five candidates for St Leonards ward and will be announcing a ticket for Cammerygal Ward, headed by an as yet unidentified “young woman”, later in September.

The Sun has also heard rumours that anti-lockdown and pro-cycling candidates may also throw their hat in for the poll. Nominations do not close until November.

The NSW Electoral Commission, which manages the poll, has begun a registration process for candidates. A number of sitting councillors, including MaryAnn Beregi and Zoe Baker, have yet to register as candidates but have indicated via online activity that

they may be in the race.

At this stage the Sun can identify 29 likely candidates for St Leonards Ward and just 16 candidates for Cammeraygal Ward. Voters will not be

able to elect a mayor: that decision will be left to the 10 councillors in their first meeting after election results are declared, not likely until the week before Christmas.

St Leonards Ward (5 positions) Jilly Gibson Team: Alanya Drummond*, John Lepouris, John Molyneux, Jennifer Kwon North Sydney 1st: Stephen Barbour*, Richard Pearson, Veronique Marchendeau, Kristine Pham, Sophie Winton Labor for North Sydney: Godfrey Santer, Sally Cousens, Serge Galitsky, Alexander Goth, Ruth Holmes Team Spenceley: James Spenceley, Angelina Katz, Dan Whitford Community First: Jessica Keen*, Efi Carr Sustainable Australia Party: William Bourke, Hana Oh, Gillian Coggan, George Adams, Wade Wyatt Others: Zoe Baker*, Anne Cui, Tracy Fraser, Michelle Hertz, Evan Predavec

Cammeraygal Ward (5 positions) Jilly Gibson Team: Jilly Gibson*, John Bauer Labor: Shannon Welch, Bruce Grimshaw, Maurice May, Harry Wall Team Elle: Elle Prevost, Anjana Karki Animal Justice Party: Evelyn McWilliams Community First: Ian Mutton* Others: James Mullan, John Tower, MaryAnn Beregi*, Jane Choi, Liam Collins, David Martin. * denotes sitting councillor. This list is indicative, nominations are open til Nov

North Sydney Demo upgrade designs released Continued from page 1 upgrade work are concept designs.

“They will continue to progress through to schematic and detailed designs as the project progresses. The designs are also being developed in consultation with key stakeholders as we work through the planning approval and tender process. While some aspects of the design may change as we move through these processes, the overall approach to the upgrade and scope is likely to remain the same,” it said. Construction is anticipated to start in early 2022, pending planning approval, and be complete a year later.

The department says it will continue to work in close consultation with the Principal and a Heritage Consultant to preserve the heritage features, including the fence and gate on Bay Road.

Earlier in June, the NSW State Budget also committed funds for upgrades to local schools.

"The list of huge investments in our local schools just keeps growing longer - with construction to start in the coming months at Mosman High School,

contract procurement underway for North Sydney Dem, Neutral Bay Public School soon to seek development approval, St Leonards primary school

fully funded” Wilson said. "We are making record investments in public education to support our kids now and into the future."

Federal government awards $25.8m contract to upgrade HMAS Waterhen at Waverton to indigenous construction business Barpa There are predictions that North Sydney businesses are set to reap the benefits of a $25.8 million contract awarded by the Federal Government to deliver infrastructure upgrades at HMAS Waterhen in Waverton.

Barpa, an Australian Indigenous construction company, has been awarded the contract.

Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price said the project was also expected to provide benefits to the NSW economy by maximising the opportunities for Indigenous and local businesses.

“The construction workforce will average 20 workers per day, with a predicted peak of around 50 workers per day,” Minister Price said.

“Under its Local Industry Capability Plan the project will target local businesses for 85 per cent of all subcontracting work.”

Minister Price said the Government had committed to a significant investment at HMAS Waterhen in support of current and new maritime capabilities.

“HMAS Waterhen is the Royal Australian Navy’s lead establishment for mine warfare and supports a large workforce of Defence personnel,” Minister Price said.

“The project will improve critical base infrastructure and ensure HMAS Waterhen continues to be able to provide support to the mine warfare force.

“Barpa will remediate and upgrade the engineering services and working accommodation at HMAS Waterhen.”

Barpa was procured under the Commonwealth Government’s Indigenous Procurement Policy to support development of Indigenous businesses, skills and workforce.

Federal member for North Sydney Trent Zimmerman welcomed the upgrade works to HMAS Waterhen.

“I am delighted that the Morrison Government has invested $25.8 million for upgrades to the HMAS Waterhen, which is symbolic of the rich maritime history of the North Sydney region,” Zimmerman said.

“This investment will not only upgrade an iconic Navy site, but will also deliver a significant economic boost to the local businesses of North Sydney.”

Defence said it continues to exceed

Australian Government targets under the Indigenous Procurement Policy.

Since the introduction of the IPP in 2015, more than $4 billion of Federal Government contracts have been awarded to Indigenous businesses, according to the government.

Of this, Defence has awarded more $2 billion in contract value to Indigenous-owned businesses.

Defence remains a key contributor against the Commonwealth Indigenous Procurement Policy.

In 2020-21, Defence exceeded its

number target (676 contracts) by awarding over 3426 contracts to Indigenous businesses at a value of $497 million against a value target of $110 million.

Detailed design work on the project started in July, with construction due to start in late 2021 and finish in mid-2023.

Barpa’s NSW operations are based in Edgecliff. It is jointly owned by Icon and the Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations. The company is based in Melbourne.

JILLY GIBSON YOUR MAYOR VOTE 1

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Physio Inq opens doors in McMahons Point Physio Inq has opened a new clinic in McMahons Point, NSW to meet the demand for their physiotherapy, massage, acupuncture, dry needling, sports physiotherapy and NDIS services.

A local to the area, Bill Karagas owner of Physio Inq McMahons Point said, “Throughout my childhood and career as a soccer player I was in and out of physio clinics for injuries and growing pains, so I have first-hand knowledge of what physiotherapy can do for someone experiencing pain, injuries or discomfort. Having had great mentorship from the Physio Inq team I am very encouraged to be opening my first clinic in McMahons Point.

“The community is so supportive of local businesses, which makes me thrilled to be offering them a new allied health service, particularly, to the elderly population as I have a passion for working in this area of treatment.”

The clinic is located at 149 Blues Point Road.

Jonathan Moody, co-founder and CEO of Physio Inq said; “I am incredibly excited we are able to provide our practitioners the opportunity to become clinic owners and take the next step in their careers as allied health professionals.

We have a fantastic business partner program, which supports them

Bill Karagas through every phase of opening and managing their clinics.

“Despite the pandemic, with these new clinics coming on board, Physio Inq has seen 35% growth across our brick and mortar network in the first half of 2021. We have been encouraged by the community to continue pushing allied health in a new direction with our person-centered care and ‘employees come first’ mentality.”

A further 3 clinics will be opening in Blaxland, Aspendale and Camden, adding to Physio Inq’s footprint of 10 clinics across Sydney and Melbourne. All four of the new clinic owners have been sourced internally and are being opened by current Physio Inq practitioners, with three business partners opening their second sites within 2 years.

To support the exponential growth, Physio Inq is launching a new training program, the PInq Academy, which will give practitioners across the network access to leading experts across various fields of special interest to inspire practitioners to find passion projects or niche treatments to pursue.

The PInq Academy will be a targeted, engaging training program led by some of the best minds in Australia and abroad, to ensure practitioners have the skills and confidence to grow, develop and innovate their therapy, and progress their careers.

Speaking of the PInq Academy, Chief Development Officer of Physio Inq, Patrick Graham said; “This program will equip our clinic practitioners with incredible insights into a variety of fields of study and expose them to the forefront of innovation in allied healthcare. We are enabling our practitioners to obtain in-house upskilling while creating an environment for them to advance their vocation.”

Areas of interest that will be covered include such areas as sports rehabilitation, telehealth, aged care, disability management in health, paediatrics, neuro positive behavioural support, acute orthopaedics, and musculoskeletal physiotherapy.

Carer charged with Milsons Point theft A carer has been charged after allegedly stealing cash and jewellery from an elderly woman on in Milsons Point.

Earlier this month, officers from North Shore Police Area Command commenced an investigation following reports jewellery and cash had been stolen from the home of an 86year-old woman at Milsons Point.

Following extensive inquiries, officers arrested a 32-year-old woman at a home in Dee Why about 8am yesterday on Thursday 19 August 2021.

She was taken to Manly Police Station and charged with two counts of steal property in dwelling house (greater than $15,000).

The woman – who was employed as the elderly woman’s carer – was granted strict conditional bail to appear at Manly Local Court on Wednesday 15 September 2021.

Meanwhile, a man has been charged with nearly 30 offences after police seized over 350 firearms. Officers from North Shore Police Area Command attended a home in Rangers Avenue at Mosman, to conduct a safe storage inspection of the firearms secured at the premises. A number of concerns in relation to the Firearms Act 1996 were identified and an investigation commenced.

On 27 May 2021, officers returned to the house and issued a firearms suspension warning and seized over 350 firearms. Following further inquiries an 85-year-old man was issued with a Court Attendance Notice and is expected to appear in Manly Local Court on Thursday 16 November 2021.

Promise of Milsons Point bike ramp design competition fails to satisfy critics A decision by Transport for NSW to submit its planned bike ramp from the Sydney Harbour Bridge at Milsons Point to a national design competition has been hailed by state MP Felicity Wilson and Mayor Jilly Gibson.

But the move has attracted criticism from local councillor Ian Mutton who says that Council had voted to oppose the imposition of a bike ramp and as far as he was concerned, did not support a design competition.

The move follows a consultation which found that a clear majority of respondents supported the idea of a ramp, and a majority favoured a linear option which would graduate down to Bradfield Park North.

Transport for NSW will commence a competitive design process via an open Registration of Interest.: “Through this, we will select three leading architectural design teams with heritage and Connecting with Country expertise to help us design a linear ramp of the highest calibre.”

Gibson told the North Sydney Sun that: “As mayor it would be dishonest of me to pretend to residents that Council has the power to stop this state government project from proceeding.”

“We have achieved a significant victory for locals by successfully lobbying for a design competition.”

“Widespread community consultation occurred and democracy has been well served. We cannot ignore the survey outcome but I acknowledge the severe disappointment of many Milsons Point residents.”

Earlier, one of those residents, councillor Ian Mutton, had questioned what he saw as an about-face from the mayor on the issue.

Mutton told the Sun: “We started off being opposed to ramp of any description through Bradfield Park, and now it’s moved to a design competi-

tion for the very thing we’re opposed to. Quite a lot of people in our community are just beside themselves as the mayor seems to be on both sides of coin on this one. I don’t want the ramp and I do want a design competition.

And I want a competition and I have no idea where it’s going to take me.”

Mutton’s opposition is bolstered by information obtained from the Department which he said indicates that “serious declining bike usage” on the existing ramp. This suggests that usage peaked at around 1900 trips a day in 2013 and fell to 1200 last year.

Mutton was backed by Julia Connor, who heads the Milsons Point Community Group.

She disputed the department’s survey showing support for the project.

“I am sure you appreciate that the results of any survey depend on how the questions are phrased,” Connor told the Sun. “Combine the lack of a ‘neither option’ in the survey with TfNSW’s own figures that show a decline in cycling since 2014, the whole performance smacks of deliberate misinformation. As we are not privy to the parameters of any design competition, it seems likely that it may be limited to just another sort of ramp design that impinges on our area.”

As to charges of inconsistency, it appears that North Sydney Council did support a national design competition in its submission to the Transport for NSW consultation.

“North Sydney Council do not support either of the exhibited Sydney Harbour Bridge Cycleway Access ramp options, noting their desire to engage with Transport on an alternative project. Council have further requested that Transport establish a Project Control Group with representation from both North Sydney and City of Sydney Councils, to have oversight of this al-

ternative project,” the consultation report said.

“Council’s proposal would be to generate three alternative designs through the delivery of a Sydney Harbour Bridge Cycling Infrastructure Design Competition. These alternative designs would then be considered as part of the Western Harbour Tunnel Active Transport Network Review,” the report said.

State Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance said the community will be asked for feedback on three shortlisted architectural designs before a winner is announced later this year.

“We’re after innovative designs that are not only worthy of the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge, but also respect the heritage of the area, embrace Aboriginal culture and enhance the open space for the Milsons Point community,” Constance said.

“The Harbour Bridge cycleway is one of the most popular bike routes in the city. Patronage is expected to increase once the ramp is built and cyclists no longer have to carry their bikes up the stairs.

“Transport for NSW will continue to engage with residents and community groups as the design process progresses, as well as with Heritage NSW.” PARTICIPATION SOUGHT: State member for North Shore Felicity Wilson said the community to now play an active role in shaping the design of this project.

“For more than a decade, design and consultation has been undertaken to try to find the best solution to the incredibly challenging problem of both increasing safety for pedestrians and meeting the need for improved cycle access to the bridge – all while protecting and preserving the open space and heritage we love,” Wilson said.

“The outcomes of this consultation demonstrate that the broad views across my own community, as well as the wider catchment, support this project proceeding.

“I want to thank the local community for their extensive engagement – and call on all our local residents to now help create the vision for the final cycleway.”

The next stage of the project would include a Safety in Design process and traffic analysis to fully understand the impacts on all road users. A Road Safety Audit will be completed at different stages of the project and Transport Technical Direction for crossings will be adhered to.

According to Transport for NSW, the survey received 2578 responses in total. Eighty two per cent of the 602 respondents in the local area preferred one or either option. This rose to 97 per cent in the wider area.

Of the 461 submissions received, 40 per cent supported the project, 58 per cent opposed it and 2 per cent just made comments.

Support for local boys’ BMX bike ramp initiative North Sydney mayor Jilly Gibson has thrown her support behind some local boys who built their own impromptu BMX bike ramps in a little-used section of Forsyth Park in Neutral Bay. The boys dug the ramps, which they use for bike jumps, out of the soil and rocks in the park.

Their activities earned a rebuke from local residents and a park ranger, but two of the boys—aged 9 and 12— have won the Mayor over with a handwritten letter sent to her last week.

“We built those bike ramps with shovels and we designed them ourselves,” the boys wrote.

“Please don’t prevent us from continuing to ride on those bike ramps as these are the only things keeping us happy outdoors in the lockdown. We already socially distance.”

“We take care not to make a mess

of the ramps .. We clean up our rubbish and we don’t interfere with anyone.” The boys were prompted to write to the mayor after they were admonished by a council ranger and told off by a local resident.

Gibson told the Sun that she had met with the boys at the park and, as far as she was concerned, their activities were harmless and constituted healthy behaviour.

“If you think of it we give over bits of our park to community gardens, which mainly serve the elderly. Not just the elderly, but the elder demographic in our area. We have sports fields in our parks. But what do we have for this age group? Why don't these kids on their bikes have some rights in an unused part of our park?”

“So they made some ramps way, way down behind the funny little scout

Jilly Gibson

hall, right at the southern totally unused part of the park.”

“They go over the bumps and I stood and watched them for a while.

Totally delightful,” Gibson said.

“Now our rangers said they all had to go home and they couldn’t be there.

But, I don’t believe they’re actually

doing anything illegal. I was just down in Milson Park. Picnickers everywhere, adults out having their coffee, but here we are, some residents are calling on us to deny kids in their very early teens a little spot to get outside and do tricks, meet with their friends and have a bit of fun on their BMXs.” Gibson said that she wants Council to start a process to identify and enable such uses of local parks.

“We’d have to have community consultation and some meetings, but I want the boys, I want the users of the park, these fine young, in this case they’re boys, but there’s girls who use it as well. I want these fine young men, in their early teens, to be part of a working group and have a say.”

The Sun did not identify the boys in question due to concerns about possible privacy violations.

ADVERTISEMENT

North Sydney Council elections: it is about policies

When it comes to parklands, there are things that need to be delivered:

I’m a Councillor seeking re-election * an independent * have not been in any way connected with a political party for 5 decades. I believe in democracy but not in political parties.

Things I am proud of from the last term: * Keeping Council’s finances in great shape * Starting the rebuild of North Sydney’s Olympic pool – one of Sydney’s great icons * Winning Council’s support for the HighLine, the Heritage Fleet becoming a part of the vision for Berrys Bay. As for the future - Council needs to stand up to and push back on the State Government when it: * takes our parklands for the Western Harbour and Beaches’ tunnel’s infrastructure and * forces traffic wanting to reach its tunnels through North Sydney’s CBD Things that I will fight for: * Council taking back planning control from the State Government. * A levy on “windfall” profits that accrue to “developers” when State Government overrides Council’s planning rules. * Proceeds used to reduce rates and improve and increase our parklands. * A start on solving the parking problem. * Remove the restriction on the number of car spaces in new residential developments (presently one space for every two apartments). * An audit of Council properties with a view to rebalance holdings to maximise returns. * An audit of Council controlled “affordable housing” with views to maximising the number of housing units; and recognising the dire need to provide support housing for women escaping abusive relationships, * Improve traffic “management” around our schools to make the streets safer for kids.

Interested in helping me to get elected?

Drop me an email – imutton@crafers.com Authorised by Ian Mutton of 2 Dind Street, Milsons Point, NSW

The Highline Repurposing the rail corridor between Waverton and Lavender Bay as a walking trail connecting the harbourside parks (the Coal Loader, Waverton Oval, Sawmillers Reserve and the Lavender Bay parklands).

Also * Protection of the Western Shore of Berry’s Bay. * Mooring the heritage fleet in the Bay and repurposing Woodley’s Shed as a museum. * Protecting Wendy’s “secret” Garden. The State Government leases the Garden to Council – it should transfer it to Council. Building its capital base to ensure its long-term survival by embarking on a capital raising. * Saving Bradfield Park from being taken for a cycleway. * Saving Cammeray Golf Course from being taken for tunnel related infrastructure

Labor emphasises climate change, indigenous recognition in pitch to voters Labor candidate Godfrey Santer says he was motivated to run in this December’s local elections partly as a result of his belief that North Sydney Council has acquiesced in engineering projects which contribute to global warming and damage the environment, is allowing the removal of precious parkland and has failed to acknowledge our indigenous and settler heritage.

Action on all three fronts forms a large part of the Labor policy platform for the election, which was exclusively released to the North Sydney Sun as we went to press.

A Labor spokesperson said: “One of our major concerns is climate change.”

“Specifically in our LGA, we are worried about the increased air pollution and traffic congestion in North Sydney and the loss of our precious and steadily diminishing public land being taken from us by the state government, with the support of the Council, for its Western Harbour Tunnel & Beaches Link project.”

Labor says its candidates want council, “instead of paying lip service to climate change while ignoring it, to genuinely acknowledge it is real and ensure that all its policies and administrative responsibilities are implemented with reference to the need to combat it.” Translated to specific Council functions this recognition would include the following actions. > Introduce a North Sydney Strategic Plan along the lines of the long standing City of Sydney’s Strategic Plan to establish a “people friendly, tree plant-

ing, street conscious, pedestrian oriented planning strategy.” > Pursue “world leading innovations to attain energy efficient infrastructure and ensure our city is powered by renewable energy.” > Establish “more and better parks, gardens and children's playgrounds and propose, within the Labor Party’s policy forums, the adoption of a policy to construct a rooftop garden over part of the Warringah Freeway to reconnect Cammeray, Anzac and St Leonards Parks.” > Regenerate Blues Point Reserve Park. > Transform the Waverton spur rail line to a walking trail and park. > Restructure and renovate the Balls Head Point, Berrys Bay and Waverton Peninsula Reserve, including “creation of an open air amphitheatre in one of the former oil tank circles in the park.” > Improve the garbage disposal system - expand the range of waste bin categories to include a food waste/kitchen scraps bin. > Increase the public space around high rise developments. > Install more charging points for electric vehicles.

The Labor spokesperson said the party also wants to see more Council work done on acknowledging the region’s indigenous heritage.

“Known aboriginal sites around the Harbour, including rock carvings and middens, reflecting thousands of years of indigenous settlement, have been given scant acknowledgment by the Council, with poor or non-existent

signage and protective screening.” the spokesperson said.

“What should be a great domestic and international tourism attraction has been neglected. It is both a Council duty and, through increased tourist visits, it makes sound business sense for Council to give greater public recognition of the region's indigenous history, art and landmarks.”

One idea is for the establishment of an Aboriginal museum or gallery in the LGA to explain the history of indigenous settlement in the region.”

Godfrey Santer

Labor wants more support for local nightlife Labor for North Sydney say they want to improve the area’s nightlife. Lead candidate Godfrey Santer says he specifically wants Council to adopt policies which encourage residents and visitors to stay on after office hours.

“Night time restaurants and bars should be established and their owners encouraged to stay open,: a spokesperson said.

“In Council, Labor would seek to establish more late night facilities in a dedicated bar, restaurant, nightclub and entertainment precinct, including pedestrian plazas with al fresco facilities; work with musicians, entertainers and restaurant & bar owners, to help establish the facilities and change the Council's philosophical approach to small business, away from control and regulation to promotion and facilitation.”

“Many millions of dollars have been spent on the construction of new office and residential buildings in the North Sydney CBD. In spite of this, the CBD and immediate surrounds are deserted at night and over the weekends. Major shops and restaurants close after afternoon peak hour. With North Sydney having perhaps Sydney’s most magnificent views, there is not one high rise public rooftop restaurant in North Sydney.

Likewise, Labor wants to adopt an “affordable housing scheme to help overcome the deficit in social housing and ensure the speediest possible recovery from the Covid induced recession.” Labor says it will push for an increase in the number of approvals for affordable social housing relative to overall property development applications; and adopt a scheme for new housing.

How North Sydney has locked down, and the Sun thinned out Latest data from Google’s mobility index has shown how the city-wide lockdown has impacted on local work and business traffic.

The two biggest indicators are the massive reduction in workplace and public transport activity: down 72 per cent and 81 per cent respectively since a baseline of five weeks in January and February 2020.

Retail and recreation is down 66% while attendance at supermarkets and pharmacies—still tolerated in these locked-down times—is down 24%.

Likewise, with exercise still allowed, locals are still opting to shun and avoid parks—down 44% since January last year.

Not surprisingly, residential activity is up 34%. If this seems more modest than the reductions in other activity, this is because the typical resident already spends between a third and two-thirds of their lives at home: a stay-at-home mandate adds a mere third to this as a result.

The numbers for adjoining LGAs are roughly similar.

On the core measure of retail and recreation, Willoughby's numbers are down 62%, Mosman down 55% and City of Sydney down 71%.

Google mobility index: How people traffic has changed since January 2020

The lockdown has also had a big effect on the publication you are reading, dramatically crimping our ability

to sell and procure advertising, this cutting our issue size by 25% this issue. It also impacts on our delivery

program: so please be patient as we attempt to cover the LGA under massive constraints.

The Sun Says The North Sydney LGA is leading the way in Sydney for COVID-19 vaccinations.

Cammeray is the outstanding achiever of the area, with between 60-69% getting a first vaccination and 40-49% a second.

Neutral Bay and Cremorne aren’t far behind, with between 6069% getting a first vaccination and 30-39% a second.

North Sydney, Kirribilli, Milsons Point, McMahons Point, Crows Nest, Waverton and Wollstonecraft aren’t far behind, at 5059% on a first vaccination and 3039% on the second.

Collectively, it’s been a mighty effort by local residents given that as recently as June, vaccine supplies were scarce.

Now we have a situation where nearly all doctors clinics and pharmacies are offering the vaccine. As we went to print, it was possible to get an appointment just two days out. Supplies of Astra Zeneca are plentiful and Pfizer is also increasingly available in the system, albeit often with longer appointment waiting periods.

Vaccinations across the state are now accelerating so fast that it looks like we will reach critical 70% and 80% milestones for first doses sometime in the month of September. Second doses will follow within weeks and then we can hopefully look forward to some type of normality.

Copyright Decisive Publishing.

All rights reserved.

ACN 065 084 960 Responsibility for election comment taken by G Lynch Office address: Unit 3 20 Cliff St Milsons Point NSW Australia 2061 Phone: 02 9061 7048 URL: www.northsydneysun.com.au Email for editorial: grahamelynch@commsdaymail.com Founding editor and Decisive CEO: Grahame Lynch Advertising information: Amy Carswell amy@commsdaymail.com Distribution inquiries: Linda Salameh linda@commsdaymail.com Payment inquiries: Sally Lloyd sally@commsdaymail.com Printer: Spotpress, 24-26 Lilian Fowler Place Marrickville NSW 2204 15,000 copies circulated to homes and businesses in the North Sydney LGA Printer statement available on demand

Should Council require staff vaccinations?

With debate raging as to whether big business should require essential workers to get vaccinated so as to limit the spread of COVID-19, one local councillor would like to see community discussion as to whether a similar mandate should be adopted by the North Sydney LGA. Councillor Ian Mutton has asked whether council employees should be vaccinated as a condition of employment.

“I lived through the fear of polio.

It was really traumatic because things did go into our lungs and forced us to wear calipers And then vaccination came about and gave us relief from that fear.“ “When the time came to have that vaccination, no one asked me, did I want it? Nobody asked me what brand. Leaders took a decision that

Ian MuƩon we needed to act as a country.”

“The issue is we actually need vaccination,” Mutton said.

Mutton said he isn’t proposing the termination of employees who don’t get jabbed, but he thinks it should be a condition of new employment.

“I'm not saying people should actually lose their jobs, certainly not at this stage,” he told the Sun. “There will be people who have medical reasons that say they can't be vaccinated and there will be people who genuinely hold religious views, so they shouldn’t be vaccinated.”

“We can cope with that, but everybody else needs to do what they did with polio. They need to get vaccinated and we need to stop playing around with endless debates about the freedoms of individuals. And we’re talking about what’s best for the health of our society,” he said.

Not everyone agrees. The high profile candidate for St Leonard Ward at the next election, James Spenceley, isn’t so sure vaccination should be a condition of employment.

Spenceley founded telco Vocus Communications in North Sydney, building it into a national employer of over a thousand employees before stepping away several years ago.

“I probably struggle to align with forcing staff to do it. I’ve just been a boss to a lot of staff and I feel like that’s crossing a little bit of a line.”

“Maybe you sign a disclaimer with unvaccinated staff that if they get it and have to have time off, they don't get paid sick leave. But actively, if they get the vaccine, they can get an

Talk of the Town extra week bonus leave or something.

I think there’s a lot of ways to deal with it that's a little more middle ground than forcing it.”

“I’m not sure council is critical in a lot of ways in terms of direct contact. Qantas has a bigger issue with stewards and attendants being on planes for example, but your garbage collectors are outsourced anyway.

They’re not knocking on your door and meeting you and taking your garbage out. And a lot of council is online and more of it should be,” he told the Sun. “So I would encourage them to reward people to do it rather than force people to do it.”

Mystery of the independent push poll There are reports that residents of the North Sydney area have been receiving push-polling phone calls, designed to promote doubts about Federal Member for North Sydney Trent Zimmerman and promote the credentials of an unnamed independent candidate, possibly a woman with three children.

Russell Mahoney, a former communications chief of staff to prime minister Julia Gillard and now an executive with Coca Cola, reports receiving such a phone call in late August. He wrote on Twitter on 18 August: “Just got phone polled about politics in general but quite specific to North Sydney. Lots of questions about Trent Zimmerman and would I support a local independent.”

“Very big on the ‘do you think Trent doesn't stand up to conservatives like Peter Dutton’ areas - a few

questions on that. Described the ‘hypothetical’ independent as local businesswoman. Long term resident.

Family. Three kids. Quite specific really,” he continued.

The next day he tweeted: “Same North Sydney phone polling happening tonight as I got yesterday about an independent vs Zimmerman.

Friend in the electorate got polled with the same slightly dodgy pro indi (sic) questions. Must be costing a fortune!”

What makes the push polling interesting is that one of the groups advocating an independent candidate for North Sydney—North Sydney’s Independent—indicated in a newspaper article that it would likely be announcing a female candidate sometime in September.

The article in the August 8 SunHerald, titled “Liberal revolt as voters push for ‘independent’ change”, said the group has the “backing of some deep-pocketed businesspeople.”

There definitely is money behind the independent movement for North Sydney, with North Sydney’s Independent recently splashing out for a full page advertisement seeking a candidate in the North Shore Times: definitely extravagant given that newspaper circulates widely outside the actual electorate as far north as Wahroonga. The rack rate for a full page ad in the North Shore Times is over $6,700.

The big pitch of the independent movement is that it wants to find the next Zali or Ted. Zali is a reference to Zali Stegall, the federal member for the neighbouring electorate of Warringah, who knocked off Tony Abbott in 2019.

And Ted is a reference to Ted Mack, who served as mayor, then state member, then federal member for 16 years between 1980 and 2016. He passed away in 2018.

LOCAL POLITICIANS HAVE BEEN URGING LOCALS to get out and support North Sydney area businesses. Pictured left is Mayor Jilly Gibson at North Sydney’s Bacino Bar and North Sydney federal MP Trent Zimmerman at Drews’Pharmacy in North Sydney. Gibson said: “Small businesses are in essence what make our neighbourhood villages what they are. Lose the businesses and you lose the village.”

Sustainable Australia party pushes cause of direct democracy for North Sydney William Bourke has a message for people who think parties have no place in local politics. Independents aren’t always what they are cracked up to be and a party can stand for direct democracy. That’s the message for his Sustainable Australia Party, which is running full tickets across both wards in the December elections.

“I am passionate about democracy and sustainability. So in this campaign, for example, we've got three key objectives. One is to protect our environment and green spaces. The second, to stop over development. And thirdly, to stop what we call the systemic corruption of the planning system,” he tells the Sun. “But the thing that really differentiates us is that all of this is underpinned by direct democracy.”

“So for example, in North Sydney, there would be two key motions that I would be putting, if elected. Number one, is that we implement citizen juries to determine key planning issues, instead of these unelected bureaucrats who sit on the so-called planning panels. And the second direct democracy element would be citizen initiated referenda, or polls in the case of local government. So upon 5% or more of the community signing a petition to the council, the council would be required within 12 months to put a communitywide poll, binding poll, on that issue to the people.”

Bourke says that one of the petitions he would advocate would be to “abolish the huge rate rises put in place by the current council, of 7% per year. Over 40% rate rise over the next five years.

That would be one of the petitions that I would be putting in place to abolish that, and cap it as a CPI.” “Another example would be, a petition to reject the state government's housing growth targets for North Sydney council area.”

Bourke considers that his plan would revolutionise North Sydney council and beyond that, governance in New South Wales.

Development and housing are two issues which Bourke also intends to prosecute. “There is systemic corruption in the system, that it favors the

property industry over the local communities. Despite overwhelming feedback and submissions against certain developments from the community, they are still approved,” Bourke claims.

Bourke similarly feels there is a need for pushback on state housing targets which mandate population growth.

“We need a much, much more activist council to push back against the state government. We’re not getting that, because they’re largely, major party aligned councillors. So we need to have a very activist council that represents our community, rather than major political parties and their donors.”

As a corollary, Bourke says there should be no discussion on population growth without considering the infrastructure required to facilitate it.

“Our local schools, for example, are way over capacity. So before we have more housing, we need to put in the infrastructure. We need the schools, the hospitals, the sporting, the recreational space in, before new housing. Not as an afterthought.”

Bourke is no political neophyte. “I ran in the by-election, where Trent Zimmerman was elected, I think coming fourth out of 13 candidates. I was very nearly elected to this state Upper House in New South Wales, two years ago at my first go at state parliament,” he says. This self-description is near accurate: in 2015, Bourke scored 2.83% of the vote and came 5th behind Trent Zimmerman, Stephen Ruff, Arthur Chesterfield-Evans and MaryAnn Beregi. And in 2019, the Sustainable Australia Party won 65,000 votes statewide, just 21,000 votes behind the Animal Justice party which did win a seat.

He says these results belie the party’s influence. “Sustainable Australia party has brought a new way of thinking about infrastructure and overdevelopment and rapid population growth and these sorts of issues, and we’ve brought that a lot to the forefront of public debate. So we forced other candidates to be discussing things like overdevelopment and the rapid housing and population growth targets,” he says. And as a resident of the area for two decades he believes that he would

add something to Council.

“I’ve attended or watched dozens of North Sydney Council meetings, and I’ve been very disappointed at the way that the council is what I would call dysfunctional. There are some toxic relationships in there. And what I’d be looking to do is, bring people together based on consensus driven issues.”

“As a party of the centre, we would work with all sides to bring people together, consensus on issues you have in common, and respectfully debate issues that you differ on. But at the end of the day, we also understand that we need to be servants of the community and therefore promote this direct democracy initiative, whereby ultimately we can have policies, we can have discussions,

but ultimately if the community wants to override what we’re saying, that’s their right.”

One area where he thinks the party can make a difference is in Council’s approach to environment.

“We’re in the 21st century, we now have to prioritise sustainable transport, walking, cycling, especially locally. So get that cycle ramp built. Get it done.”

The other one is, trying to achieve a zero waste council,” he says.

“That will require more effort on behalf of citizens, to be separating their waste. And it’ll also require more effort from local businesses, in terms of packaging, in terms of all of those issues.

But a zero waste agenda, ideally by 2025.”

Backlash to Cammeray tree removal A petition opposing the removal of over 700 trees in Cammeray had garnered around 500 signatures as we went to print.

The petition, started by Councillors MaryAnn Beregi, Zoe Baker and Tony Carr, said Transport for NSW is destroying over 700 mature trees in and around ANZAC Park and Ernest Street, Cammeray as part of the early works for the Warringah Freeway Upgrade project. The petition says: “On 2 August 2021, TfNSW started literally marking mature trees to be removed.

It is proposed to “replace” each tree

removed with two trees – a rate that will result in a devastating net loss of trees as most councils work on a replacement rate of 10 trees to produce 1 mature tree. Not to mention, that saplings in exchange for mature canopy trees is inadequate at best.”

The petition poses fears that this will repeat the observed excess removal of trees for the light rail project along Anzac Parade. “We fear that the same will happen here as we know that these “early works” are just the beginning… there will be more trees targeted for removal as part of the

“construction works” and even more for the proposed Beaches Link and Western Harbour Tunnel works,” the petition says.

The petition calls for a moratorium on the removal of the trees.

Meanwhile, Mayor Jilly Tree removal near Middlemiss St Gibson has told North Sydney Sun that the works at the south end of the project –around fig trees. She told the Sun that Council Pacific Highway near High St and had not been provided with sufficient Middlemiss St—also appear to have notification or consultation opportuniresulted in the removal of several old ties on either of the removals.

Justin Ferguson back as solo real estate agent Local real estate agent Justin Ferguson has returned with a new business in Miller St, North Sydney.

Having transacted more than 1000 properties valued at nearly $2 billion over the past 23 years in the area, Ferguson has launched his new independent agency, the eponymously-named Justin Ferguson.

The new agency is Ferguson’s second in the Lower North Shore. In 1998, he founded his first agency in Cammeray with his wife Sally which they built up to what was considered an institution in the local area. They sold their business in February 2018 to Ray White, which he continued his role of principal until late 2020.

Re-emerging as Justin Ferguson, the new agency has been created to provide a premium service to the Lower North Shore precinct.

“It’s great to be back after a break!

When past, present and potential future clients kept reaching out to me for advice, or to sell their properties, I made the decision to relaunch but in a different way this time,” Ferguson said. “Being a solo agent means that I can truly provide a bespoke, premium service to all of my clients to ensure the experience of selling their most valuable asset is a stress-free and pos-

itive one before, during, and after the sale. I’m also a local myself and have been for many years, so I know every precinct and already have long term connections within the local community,” he added.

He launches the agency with his first listing – 204/9 William Street, North Sydney. “A beautifully presented executive apartment, showcasing bright and spacious interiors, sleek contemporary finishes, located on the second floor of the immaculate ‘Bentleigh’ security building,” he said.

Ferguson is a Certified Practising Valuer, an Associate Member of the Australian Property Institute since and a Licenced Real Estate & Business Agent, Strata Manager and Stock and Station agent.

Bears brew finds life in pandemic hiatus The North Sydney Bears’ season may have been cancelled because of COVID -19 but a new side business is bubbling over.

Working with the Six String Brewing Company of the Central Coast, an inaugural release of Bear Park Brew in both pale ale and lager format sold out its first release.

According to the brewers, the first release sold out in 15 minutes.

That was the equivalent of 8,500 cans. New releases are on the way.

The sold out beer release helped mitigate the disappointment of the cancellation of both the major and community competitions for the year, GM Football Jack Tonnito told members: “Following on from the very difficult decision last week to abandon a number of major competitions for the 2021 season in response to the COVID-19 outbreak across the Greater Sydney Region and adjoining areas, the NSWRL Board has now been forced to accept the heartbreaking reality that community competitions will have to be abandoned in the Greater Sydney Region.

NSWRL Chief Executive David Trodden said the end of lockdown would not happen early enough to: “in

sufficient time to complete our season.

In those circumstances, the board was left with little option but to cancel our community competitions in the Greater Sydney Region, notwithstanding the disappointment which this will cause to the many thousands of boys and girls, men and women who play in teams and competitions.”

It’s the same story for the Shute Shield. The NSWRU cancelled the remainder of the metropolitan winter season include Sydney Junior Rugby Union, NSW Suburban Rugby Union, Charter Hall Shute Shield, Women’s Jack Scott Cup, Regular Schoolboy Competitions

Value of North Sydney office sales rises YOY New research from Cityscope shows North Sydney commercial property sales for the quarter to July 2021 have increased in terms of both total value and number.

Sales recorded in the most recent quarter totalled $175.1 million from 40 sales, as compared to the $86.5 million from 28 sales in the quarter to April 2021 but a decrease from the $618.6 million from 37 sales recorded in the quarter to January 2021.

This quarter brings the twelvemonth total value of sales to $1.127 billion from 127 sales, a decrease from the $2.544 billion from 193 sales Notable sales include: > 390 Pacific Highway, Crows Nest, a 2-storey building on a 311 sqm block, > 388 Pacific Highway, Crows Nest, a 2-storey building on a 247 sqm, 382 Pacific Highway, Crows Nest, a threestorey building with basement parking with a net lettable area of 972 sqm on a 412 sqm block, > 378 Pacific Highway, Crows Nest, a three-storey building and parking to Hume Street on a 340 sqm block, were bought together as a development site for $51 million, > 39 - 47 Albany Street, Crows Nest, a three-storey building with basement parking for 43 cars; completed 1979 and refurbished in 1991 with a net lettable office area of 3,287 sqm was bought for $32.35 million. The sale represented an initial yield of 3.63% on a passing income of $1,174,844 > 70-74 Berry Street, North Sydney, comprising three substations on a site of 966 sqm was bought as a develop-

Caroline Chisholm House

ment site for $25 million.

Properties listed as for sale: > Lot 54 of Atria North Sydney at 1216 Berry Street, North Sydney, an 80 sqm commercial unit located in a nine -storey residential which is for sale through Stanton Hillier Parker ; > Unit 15 at 26-30 Atchison Street, St Leonards, a 151 sqm office suite on the third floor of a five-storey strata-titled building with basement parking for approximately 21 cars; which is for sale through Hartigan Bolt, > Suite 9 at Arden at 40 - 48 Atchison Street, St Leonards, a 65 sqm commer-

cial unit in a 12-storey building consisting of 12 commercial units and 105 residential apartments, which is for sale with an asking price of $775,000 through Hartigan Bolt.

Leasing opportunities include: > 100 Christie Street, St Leonards, a 12 -storey office building with parking for 74 cars; completed in 1984 and refurbished in 2019 with a net lettable area of 10,040 sqm, which has office space ranging from 200 to 994 sqm available for lease through Colliers International North Sydney and Knight Frank North Sydney;

> Caroline Chisholm House at 33 Berry Street, North Sydney, a 16-storey building with three levels of basement parking; built 1975. In 2003 the building was further refurbishe. Net lettable office area is 13,195 sqm, which has office space ranging from 883 to 2,647 sqm available for lease through CBRE North Sydney, > Charter Grove at 29-57 Christie Street, Crows Nest, a seven-storey office building with a net lettable area 14,400 sqm, which has office space ranging from 770 to 2,155 sqm available for lease through JLL and Cadigal.

puzzles QUICK CROSSWORD

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SHINS There may be more than one possible answer.

CODEWORD

No. 005

17 19 20 22 24 25

SUDOKU EASY

HARD

9

1 3 7 6 8 3 9 6 9 2 4 3 8 9 1 3 9 5 2 7 2 8 3 9

8 1 9 5 6

8 7

7

5

6

7

8

9

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18

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8 5 2 4 7 9

8

E

4x4 Lowest part Employed Silent entertainer Agony

corn

okra

currant

pear

kale

peas

leek

plum

legume

tomato

lemon

yam

lime

onion

mango

chive

melon

thyme

2. For which three films has David Lynch been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director?

3. How many degrees can an owl turn its head (in either direction)?

4. What four islands account for 97 per cent of Japan’s land area?

5. Añejo is tequila that has been aged for how long in oak barrels?

mushroom roots

Aug,0708 2021 ALL PUZZLES ©PAGEMASTERS PTY LTD Puzzles and pagination © Pagemasters | pagemasters.com

9 4 6 5 7 3 1 8 2

SUDOKU HARD

2 7 5 3 9 1 4 6 8

1 8 9 6 2 4 3 5 7

3 6 4 8 5 7 2 9 1

9-LETTER WORD MO K DN Z Y Q T I U B E 14

15

17

16

4

3

18

19

20

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22

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26

J HWR V S G L X A P F C

1

QUICK CROSSWORD

2

5

6

CODEWORD

7

8

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13

S

SOLUTIONS

7 1 2 4 8 9 6 3 5

M

L

oat

8 5 3 2 1 6 9 7 4

E

carrot

5 3 8 1 6 2 7 4 9

33 words: Very good

44 words: Excellent

Y

A

nut

6 2 7 9 4 8 5 1 3

Today’s Aim: 22 words: Good

R

B

I

ably, abysm, airy, amyl, army, aryl, bailey, balmy, barely, barley, barmy, basely, belay, beryl, bleary, bray, byre, early, easily, easy, layer, limey, limy, lyre, maybe, mealy, measly, miry, MISERABLY, miserly, misery, mislay, relay, rely, riyal, seamy, sibyl, slay, slayer, slimy, slyer, smeary, yale, year

Using the nine letters in the grid, how many words of four letters or more can you list? The centre letter must be included and each letter may only be used once. No colloquial or foreign words. No capitalised nouns, apostrophes or plural words ending in “s”.

No. 005

bean

4 9 1 7 3 5 8 2 6

9-LETTER WORD

1. What is the only other operational mint in Australia other than The Royal Australian Mint in Canberra?

WORDFIND Secret message: Nutritional

1 2 3 4

QUIZ

WORD STEP ELOPE, SLOPE, SLOPS, SLIPS, SHIPS, SHINS

Gentle collision Continent Half Paradise

2

4x4 ACROSS: 1. Bump, 5. Asia, 6. Semi, 7. Eden.

DOWN: 1. Base, 2. Used, 3. Mime, 4. Pain.

1 5 6 7

DOWN

nectarine

QUIZ 1. The Perth Mint. 2. The Elephant Man, Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive. 3. 135.

4. Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku. 5. Between one and three years.

ACROSS

3

No. 005

apple

2 5

1

The leftover letters will spell out a secret message.

Theme: Fruit and veg

B

9

2 9 7 3 6 4 8 1 5

4

2

3

8 3 4 1 9 5 2 6 7

3

4

6 9 4

6 5 1 2 8 7 3 4 9

2

2 4 7

3

3 4

WORD FIND 1

No. 005

SUDOKU EASY

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Self-centred (11) Test period (9) Searchers (7) Establishing (10) Squalid district (4) Improve (7) Boring (5) Garden tool (3) Nomenclature (11) Neighbourhood in Washington DC (10) Outline (9) Country with capital Vienna (7) Refer to (7) Conical tent (5) One time (4) Prefix related to the environment (3)

3 4 5 9 2 8 6 7 1

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DOWN

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 13 14

1 8 9 4 7 6 5 2 3

ELOPE

27 Perform surgery (7) 28 Convent (7)

7 6 2 5 1 3 4 9 8

1 Uncovered (7) 5 From Stockholm, say (7) 9 Layer that absorbs most of the sun’s UV radiation (5) 10 Grant (9) 11 Female name with three syllables (8) 12 Bug (6) 15 Vacations (5) 16 Insincere or untrustworthy person (9) 18 Tupperware, for example (9) 20 Prefix meaning more than one (5) 21 Most recent (6) 23 Male name, also an ABBA song (8) 25 Language created in 1887 (9) 26 US state (5)

9 2 6 8 3 1 7 5 4

ACROSS

Complete the list by changing one letter at a time to create a new word at each step.

5 7 8 6 4 9 1 3 2

No. 005

No. 005

4 1 3 7 5 2 9 8 6

WORDSTEP