This is Not Art!

Thanks for nothing...

Newcastle Council administration finally had its way with Laman Street figs.
More photos at http://saveourfigsphotos.blogspot.com.au/

December 1st 2011 Marks a Black Day for Newcastle

Rally outside Newcastle Town Hall before Council votes on premier's offer of an independent arborist to resolve the fig dispute.

Council meeting ends in a black day for Newcastle when Laman figs get the death sentence and a 77 year old women is allegedly shoved to the ground by an anti-fig councillor. Grief-stricken Novacastrians reconvene at Civic Park to discuss their loss. See the video outside council chambers showing community outrage at http://youtu.be/GfbDErDOGc0. More pics and vid at http://australiandocumentaryphotos.blogspot.com/2011/12/1111-not-very-novacastrian-behaviour-by.html

And the Winner is ... Newcastle!

ORDERS
The orders of the Court are as follows:

(1)Order that until final determination of these proceedings the respondents not cause the destruction or removal of the fig trees in Laman Street, Cooks Hill.

(2)The proceedings are expedited and the final hearing is fixed for 5 and 6 December 2011.

(3)Direct the applicant to file and serve any further evidence on which it relies and its submissions by 25 November 2011.

(4)Direct the respondents to file and serve any further evidence on which they rely and their submissions by 1 December 2011.

(5)Costs are reserved.

(6)The exhibits may be returned.

(7)Liberty to apply.

Day of High Courtroom Drama Ends in Optimism

The faces of the Green Team outside the Land and Environment Court are etched with suspense during a break in proceedings as the courtroom drama unfolds. Lawyers for Newcastle Council argue that the pro-figs case contains a fatal flaw in that it was not mandatory for the General Manager to accept the premier's offer of an independent arborist to resolve the community stand-off. But there is a legal precedent to consider...
Lawyers defending Laman figs contend that the cost of imposing APEC style security around Laman street for so long was a choice by the council administration and not a necessity. Case adjourned.

A Day of high courtroom drama ends in cautious optimism and a successful fundraiser at Lizottes to fight the good fight.

All Quiet on the Western Front

The Region Gallery and library are open again and its all quiet on the western front thanks to an injunction from Save Our Figs to stop the figs being chopped down ... for now and until 11/11/11. Is there a numerologist in the house?

Occupy Newcastle !

Saving Laman Street Figs Commemorative Calendar
A year of struggle in documentary photographs showing part of Newcastle community’s heroic efforts to save our figs. Available here at

http://www.redbubble.com/people/bernadette2win/calendars/7989698-occupy-newcastle-saving-laman-street-figs

follow the campaign on http://www.facebook.com/groups/202560656482186/211389935599258/

Ratbags and Loonies Picnic

Seen at the Ratbags and Loonies Picnic held in Civic Park last Sunday. The day was named in response to critics of citizens trying to save Laman street figs labelling them as "ratbags and loonies". Despite the massive fencing dividing up Civic Park these citizens are determined to socialise and support their community trees.

Follow on facebook groups at
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2580309947469&set=a.2428312827636.2144410.1246047228&type=1&mid=50#!/groups/131459163562509/

Winston Treehugger Speaks

The awful ruin of Laman street, with all its vanished glories, and of large parts of Newcastle glares us in the eyes. When the designs of wicked men or the aggressive urge of mighty Newcastle council dissolve over large areas the frame of civilized society, humble folk are confronted with difficulties with which they cannot cope. For them is all distorted, all is broken, all is even ground to pulp.

From Darby Street to Dawson and in Civic Park an iron curtain has descended across the town. I have, however, felt bound to portray the shadow which, alike in the west and in the east, falls upon Newcastle. For that reason the old doctrine of a balance of power is unsound. We cannot afford, if we can help it, to work on narrow margins, offering temptations to a trial of strength. If the community stands together in strict adherence to the principles they will be immense and no one is likely to molest them. If however they become divided of falter in their duty and if these all-important trees are allowed to slip away then indeed catastrophe may overwhelm us all.

If we adhere faithfully to conservation and walk forward in sedate and sober strength seeking no one's land or treasure, seeking to lay no arbitrary control upon the thoughts of humankind; if all green moral and material forces and convictions are joined with your own in fraternal association, the highroads of the future will be clear, not only for our time, but for a century to come. (Apologies to Winston Churchill)

Stay of Execution for Laman Street Figs

International Tree Day at Civic Park last Sunday was a great success and a timely reminder of what Newie has to lose. Congratulations to the organisers of the day and to supporters for gaining another successful recission motion to stop council from destroying our town's figs.

Behind the Iron Curtain

Citizens of Newcastle are separated from their civic fountain, cultural centre, galleries and fig trees by an iron curtain installed by the town's administrators in a scene reminiscent of the division of Berlin after World War 2.

V is for Victory! Kids attending International Tree Day at Civic Park in Newcastle want their town back. As Churchill would say: "We will fight them on the beaches, on the shores ...we will never surrender!". More info at http://saveourfigs.wordpress.com/

The Kids Are Alright

Success at last for kids needing a new skate park! Now relocated to Empire Park opposite Bar Beach its not as accessible by public transport as the one at Newcastle Beach but design-wise its a hit with stunt bikes, skaters and learners alike. Newcastle Council got it right on this one in terms of popularity among users and free street ballet for spectators. What next for our town's budget priorities - better public facilities for the age-impaired and those with disabilities perhaps?

Makeover of the Convict Bogey Hole Newcastle

Newcastle Herald has just unveiled the grand plan for our Bogey Hole and its looking like an engineering eyesore with plenty to frighten the horses. While maintenance and repairs to the Bogey Hole are welcomed by our community, the decision makers should follow a minimalist option which blends with the environment and doesn't create new hazards.

Those proposed metal lower platforms cantilevered over the water look sharp and dangerous for bathers trying to get in and out of the pool. Its great to do some needed repairs but can't the designers just stick to making the stairway less slippery and forget the grand engineering statements? Perhaps the proposed stairs would be okay if they skip the ugly lower platforms jutting out into the water - it would look more harmonious and be less of an obstacle course for users. Perhaps engineers and designers need to work under the supervision of artists and citizens who use the space.

Some Good News?

Finally we are hearing some good news about the Bogey Hole - the state government has offered to restore it rather than destroy it. Personally I think it only needed some minor maintenance like redirecting the water run-off on the stairs and some new chains on the oceanside fence but at least our community's treasure will be saved or will those with competing, hidden agendas find ways to claw back our hard won gains? It was about time the state government gave something back to Newcastle in return for the industrialisation of Kooragang Island which has turned our town into a coal dust-choked terminal at the mercy of multinational shareholders. But even the few crumbs from the table needed to save our Bogey Hole is begrudged by powerful voices within Newcastle's Chamber of Commerce.

Save our Bogey Hole

Today our youth and families are facing the loss of Newcastle skate park and many other public places used for the social enjoyment of our city. There are developer designs on Nobby's lighthouse and surrounds, Newcastle Bowling Club with its prime land overlooking the ocean, heritage value Merewether Surf House, and even our rail line into the CBD. Much of our heritage is being destroyed by neglect with the latest casualty set to be our colonial era Bogey Hole pool.


The port of Newcastle is the world's largest coal exporter and its coal handling facility is set to double yet very little of the profits from coal mining seem to be spent on our town. Resources are extracted at a furious pace but it appears hardly anything is given in return. Newcastle has some real architectural gems built when money stayed in the town but now there seems so much decay. The main street is rundown and our town has a crumbling, underfunded infrastructure and high unemployment so who benefits?


Working class access to our community beachfront spaces is under growing threat from sequential development of public land on the coast. Local demands for the defunct Newcastle East bus terminal land, with its panoramic views of the beach, to be turned into a city park for everyone were ignored. Instead it was privatised and became luxury apartments with billboards that proclaimed it as: "Newcastle's most exclusive address".


These newly built apartments overlook the public skate park at Newcastle Beach - now influential people are calling it an eyesore. It was never a problem before the luxury development arrived so perhaps its just the politics of envy in reverse. Anyway for us commoners its the apartments that are the real eyesore. Not content with excluding the community from alienated public land they now want to take away our skate park as well. What next?


Plenty, using the pretext of maintenance issues, the state government plans to deprive our community of its rightful heritage by closing public access to the Bogey Hole. This is not only an invaluable part of our cultural heritage but a priceless recreational and social asset for our youth and families. If the state government can't afford basic maintenance of public assets then why not get King Coal to pay its fair share for our town's upkeep?

Photographs and comment by Bernadette Smith