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Maroubra
Beach Flagged for Development: 2nd September 2003
*The following is a public letter
from myself, Greg Tingle, that I sent to Randwick
Council, Randwick City Tourism and media outlets of
Australia, and indeed the world.
My
home suburb, Maroubra Beach, is going to the dogs.
Council is attempting to tidy it up by the look of
it, but its rather unsightly post code flag is not
a welcome site. Have a read. If you have a story about
councils spoiling your backyard, let me know, or better,
tell the world!
Subject:
Maroubra Beach - Postcode Flag!!! What is going on
at Maroubra?! Attention: Michael Daley, Dominic Sullivan
& Alan White Public Letter of complaint by Greg
Tingle
Dear
Sirs
I'm
getting back in touch for a specific reason.
Can
one of you adequately explain and document to me why
in the heck has the council placed a flag with our
suburbs post code, flying from a street light pole,
on the top end of Maroubra Beach?
This
is a case of visual pollution as far as I am concerned.
Who consulted with the neighbor's? I think there is
a moral obligation - oh, moral obligations and council
don't always mix, forgive me! How about this line
we hear from governments and councils "adequate
community consultation" - my a*s.
What's
next - parking meters!!! Oh, did you know that I saw
a flame thrower aiming at the fuel tanks at cars in
Maroubra Beach car park recently!!! Maybe next time
they will hit a parking meter instead. If parking
meters are on the agenda, they better be "Maroubra
proof".
I
note that council hasn't erected video surveillance
or web cams at Lexington Place. They probably wouldn't
last anyway.
Let
me make a prediction - that flag of sorts won't last!
Take
a look around Maroubra sometime and you will see graffiti
like "locals only" and real estate signs
knocked over (no, they didn't fall over). A number
of months ago a fish in Maroubra was burnt out. The
"Lexo Boys" basically own Lexington Place
- LRA indeed. The shop keepers, predominately of Oriental
descent probably wish they had never moved in. Maroubra
Police can't adequacy control that problem, some 600
meters from Bob Carr's front door, but that's another
problem. Oh, and Clive Small is on the way out.
Maroubra
needed a bit of a tidy up, but flags displaying out
post code - give me a friggin break. Perhaps the money
could have been better spend some 400 meters north
of the flag, and making plaque near that place the
recent murder occurred?!
It
is indeed another plight of so-called "revitalisation".
Talk about a "spin" term. It is over development,
and so is the destruction of the once glorious Maroubra
Bay Hotel. Over 2000 locals documented that they didn't
want to loose Maroubra Bay Hotel?
Why
in the heck would anyone want Maroubra beach to go
the way of Coogee, Bondi of Surfer's "Paradise"
- oh, that's right - money.
At
least Maroubra's rough edge should keep away some
of the yuppies. We (the residents) don't want "outsiders".
Perhaps
the 'Bra Boy said it best - "Locals Only".
Here's
some articles and photos for your, and indeed the
world's interest:
http://www.mediaman.com.au/releases/maroubra3.html
http://www.mediaman.com.au/releases/maroubra1.html
http://www.mediaman.com.au/articles/maroubra_crime_wave.html
http://www.mediaman.com.au/articles/maroubra_cafes.html
One
of the great things about living in Australia is that
government can do what they will, but that can't take
away freedom of speech, and the media is now back
in the hands of the people.
Council
can erect "trinkets" and try to "gloss
up" Maroubra, but they won't take away our community
spirit, rough edge and "locals" only mentality.
If
you want urban sprawl, inflated prices, road rage
and the like, stick with Randwick and Coogee, and
stay out of Maroubra.
If
you want to find out what the people think of the
way Australia is going, take a look at range of websites,
such as Online Opinion, Crikey Media, and some web
logs.
Long
live freedom of speech and freedom of web. Get rid
of that flag.
Long
live the Maroubra Stomp!
Best
Regards
Greg
Tingle
Editor / Director / Broadcaster
Mediaman
e: greg@mediaman.com.au
w: http://www.mediaman.com.au
Editors
Note: Guess what - approx. 1 day later the flag near
my place was "mysteriously" gone. We still
have on file the photo of the unsightly flag flying,
should we be motivated enough to use it. Some of the
1035 flags continue to fly in the middle section of
Maroubra Beach. Stand up for your rights citizens
of Maroubra Beach, and everyone else, that has had
enough of councils attempting to impose the over commercialization
on the suburbs. Revitalization, my ass. Visual pollution
and exploitation of some Sydney's once great suburbs
is more accurate. Prediction: Maroubra residents will
boycott the "redeveloped Maroubra Bay Hotel"
if the project ever gets completed. What a dam mess.
*Originally
published at Mediaman blogger
Links:
Maroubra
Beach (Greg Tingle's website)
Randwick
City Council
Randwick
City Tourism
Corpwatch:
Holding Corporations Accountable
Greenpeace
Australia
Multiplex
Independent
Commission Against Corruption
Profiles
Maroubra
Beach
Maroubra
Beach Hotel
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