Councillor Chris Harris

If you hate the fact that to protect the so-called leader of the free world we have to turn Sydney into a police state, make a stand.

Buy a limited edition ‘Cage Bush Not Sydney’ t-shirt now for the protest price of only $20.

To Order your ‘Cage Bush Not Sydney’ t-shirt

Email Sylvie: sylvie@nsw.greens.org.au.

Payment can be made electroncially via www.greens4sydney.org.au

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The South Sydney Greens
C/- Greens for Sydney Campaign
22 Calder Road
Darlington 2008

In the face of national concentration of media ownership among a few big players, Council on Monday night struck a blow against small independent media in Sydney.

By a majority of 8-2, Council voted to impose onerous charges and red tape requirements on the distribution of newspapers on Sydney footpaths. Only Crs Harris and Firth (Labor) opposed the policy.

Strong lobbying by independent media for a system of newspaper racks similar to those adopted in other world cities was deferred for ‘investigation’ by staff.

However it is understood that racks are seen as ‘clutter’ by Lord Mayor Clover Moore and others and so have little chance of getting up.

Bizarrely, advertising handbills and the like can be handed out freely under the policy.

The policy extends charges currently paid to Council by News Ltd’s mX title.

“This policy will suit News Ltd perfectly,” said Greens Councillor and Deputy Lord Mayor Chris Harris.

“This global corporation has a history of predatory pricing practices and is able to run at a loss indefinitely until any opposition is wiped out.

“Given that News Ltd already owns Cumberland publications like The Glebe, as well as all the Courier titles, I find it incredible that Council has acted to further close the field to competitors,” he said. Read the rest of this entry »

On the day that Justice Jayne Jagot found for the developer in the Carlton United Breweries (CUB) case she highlighted the fact that courts do not make merit decisions, they simply uphold the law.  Whether or not that law is a donkey’s bottom is irrelevant, it’s the law.

For all of those who had believed there was a chance for the environment and for Sydney to come out of its industrial revolution, smog-infested thinking, it was a very bleak day indeed.

Then from the gloom of the courtroom there was suddenly hope in a Chippendale café coming from the most unexpected source – the developer.

Unlike Foster’s - the previous owners of the CUB site who wouldn’t even return phone calls let alone agree to a meeting - the Singapore based Frasers Group wanted to talk.

Ecological sustainability of the CUB site is the fundamental core of the community’s problem with the development. This community is as Elizabeth Farrelly articulated in her piece (Fooled again by a system that stinks SMH 22/8/07) “neither stupid nor intransigent nor luddite; they know that development must happen and that sustainability demands density.” Read the rest of this entry »

When Deputy Lord Mayor Greens Cr. Chris Harris requested a motion of urgency to bring forward the debate on erecting a banner – ‘Cage Bush. Not Sydney’ – on the Town Hall, not one councillor supported him.

The reason Cr. Harris gave for this motion to be brought forward was that camera crews were waiting to record the debate and there was wide public interest in the issue.

Not surprisingly when the motion finally came up for debate, with one intrepid camera crew still present, neither the supposedly progressive Clover Moore independent team, nor the Liberals (predictably) nor Labor voted to even discuss the matter. Read the rest of this entry »

Will the City of Sydney Council stand up for its citizens or will it standby and say nothing while its people are caged in, water cannoned and not allowed to cross the streets? Chris Harris wants council to take a stand and has put forward a motion calling on council to erect a banner on the Sydney Town Hall – ‘Cage Bush. Not Sydney’.

“The banner acknowledges that we need to protect Bush – and let’s be honest that’s what this security is all about – but not at the expense of caging in Sydney. As the council responsible for the city it is up to us to let the people of Sydney know where we stand on the closing down of their city. I think a banner erected on the Town Hall would identify that stand,” said Cr Harris. Read the rest of this entry »