Councillor Chris Harris

Twenty-one ‘life savers’ surrounded by a huge contingent of police were last Friday welcomed by Deputy Lord Mayor and Greens Cr Chris Harris to the ‘declared area’ in front of the US Embassy in Martin Place.

The 21 climate savers represented the 21 member nations meeting at the APEC summit in Sydney.

With Greens Senator Kerry Nettle, MP Sylvia Hale, and Greens candidate for Sydney Jenny Leong, Cr Chris Harris called on the APEC leaders to stop talking and start taking real action to prevent climate change while they still had the chance.

Chris Harris: “Walking from The Domain to this media conference today we were escorted by ten police on bicycles. While it was distressing that the police felt the need to escort people who believe in peace and non-violence, it was comforting to see that these police were at least on bikes rather than in gas guzzling SUVs. Read the rest of this entry »

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 »

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 »

In a notice of motion put before the City of Sydney Council, Greens Deputy Lord Mayor Cr. Chris Harris has proposed that while the council is legally obliged to provide existing employees with a ‘Workplace Relations Fact Sheet’ designed by the Federal Government, it should also provide staff with an alternative non-political fact sheet.

This is especially timely given the Queensland government’s legal challenge in the Federal Court – the NSW government is considering joining this action - where it is seeking a declaration that local government bodies are not constitutional corporations and therefore are not subject to Work Choices legislation. Read the rest of this entry »