We got the tip off of a media event at 10 am Friday 25th and sure enough it ran on ABC tv news last night in a set piece PR exercise by the theatrical Minister Peter Garrett.

Bondi Beach was to be listed on the National Heritage list of some kind, some 65 hectares from Ben Buckler cliffs to McKenzies point including surf clubs 'and parkland'. And herein is where the listing moves into the area of policy substance (as below) and not simply expedient PR to avoid the high level threats to national heritage in Tasmanian forests, Botany Bay where the British navy first made land fall or indeed Port Phillip Bay subject to highly controversial dredging at the narrow entrance.

In this sense our cynicism hat was in place. But you have to admit the event was done well. Profound welcome to country by La Perouse elder Uncle Les Davison (somewhat beaten down by life but a real survivor) shown in this picture with local Cr Dominik Wykanak centre, and bus driver Steve Raguckas waste campaigner. These three are promoting these recycling bags:

We have written before of the quite bogus attempts to justify a private heavy rail in public parkland at Bondi Beach privatising the revenue of the highly profitable public 380 bus service, itself a preface for Gold Coast style high rise over the sold off airspace rights (plenty of precedent too e.g. Bondi Junction):

We thank a local beach beauty with brains for this angle as we chatted over what the politicians were up to: A local who still remembers the train plan from 10 years back. Quite a parry on our cynical fairly justified analysis we passed on to such as Peter Harvey the veteran attack dog from Ch9 60 Minutes in the audience.

So with any luck this listing will finally knock off that agenda from 1996 - when Cr Paul Pearce joined this writer in opposing that ALP state govt plan when it counted, later became Mayor, then local MP for Coogee and his partner Ingrid Strewe as current mayor of Waverley for the ALP with Garrett as MP for Kingsford Smith. So much for the substance which may or may not have been the real motives of these pollies here:

Because its level of threat that really clarifies the relevance of extra protection designations. The cliche of the Opera House, Blue Mountains or other 'protection' decisions in the total absence of any real threat from the industry or developer lobby (way too smart to stalk politically impossible targets) does get quite grating for vocational conservationists: Never forget the forest giants getting done over right now:

CLEARFELLING STOPPED IN NEW OLD GROWTH LOGGING COUPE

                                   

Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2008 12:54 PM
Subject: geco needs you!

logging has commenced in high conservation forest bordering the snowy river national park on yalmy road close to goongerah in far east gippsland. it is adjacent to the corrridor between the snowy & errinundra national parks promised to be reserved last state election. with a small crew geco braved difficult wet conditions to lock the coupe down until mid afternoon on monday (see geco.org.au for details).

numbers are desperately needed out here now to defend the last of the largest stands of unprotected old growth forest on the mainland which vicforests have scheduled to log this year.

a base camp is established at the goongerah campground on the brodribb river, bonang road, 70km's north of orbost. come self sufficient & fuel up in orbost.

if you haven't been out b4, visiting the majestic forests of the far east is a life changing experience. the coastal beaches are not too crowded & very beautiful. the orbost exhibition centre is also worth a visit on the way thru...

please come & join geco including bidawell traditional owners in our 14th summer of non-violent direct action & inspiring bush walks.

if not you, who? if not now, when?

.......................

We met some of our old sparring partners down at the event. Mayor Stewe waved me into the media tent with my customised name tag (solictor/SAM tag) with a trusting comment, and wary looks of the flak (fair enough too). Guess which one she is here (clue: looking straight back at the dude with the camera wrong side of the plastic taking experiemental pics):

For instance another story was running in the press earlier in that day was a mind bender. Water quality in Warragamba Dam affected by an algae growth. A real worry and fair story, but somehow related in timing sense to the return of Minister Koperberg into harness responsible for water, who can hardly be blamed for the weather and rainfall patterns.

Already a senior left wing MP who one presumes will speak against the premier on the big ticket power privatisation when the time comes. We suggested as much to MP Pearce who is also on record against the sell off. At which time he decided to move out of camera frame!

Meanwhile just back from the beach the wheels of commerce continue to turn with renovation of the old ugly singular high rise motel on the strip with no doubt 'existing use' rights in terms of bulk, such are the legacies of life ( more detail  here in a pdf file Nov 05 and also here before the councillors in the weary meeting process: