Photos from the rally
The rally in the city was well attended today and we provided a loud and energetic display of our desire to retain this parkland as community open space.
Speakers included Greg Carden (MECPG spokesperson), Christine Campbell MP (Member for Pascoe Vale), Colleen Hartland (Greens, Western Metropolitan Region, Upper House) and Andrea Sharam (City of Moreland councillor).
We were also treated to a song from a growling grass frog which delighted and amused the general public as well as police assigned to Parliament House.
It’s great community support like this which has already managed to get us a couple of wins. Firstly, the deadline to sell the parkland was amended so the Feb 28th deadline is no more. Secondly, we were advised by Andrea Sharam that tomorrow night’s Moreland council meeting will no longer be held ‘in camera’, that is, excluding residents from discussion on this very important issue!
February 15th, 2007 at 3:01 am
At the council meeting last night (14th Feb 2007) Peter Brown explained the reason for the session originally being ‘in camera’ instead of open to the public was due to desired privacy on the Council-derived value of the land. Similar to a tender process where Council determines what they can afford to pay for a service, those bidding for the process are not advised of the expected price so they don’t charge more than they otherwise would have.
Since the original offer from VicRoads was for Council to purchase the land the session was intended for ‘in camera’ discussion so VicRoads could not see what Council had valued the land at. With the support from the community to see the land gifted, the removal of these financial constraints meant the report could be make transparent to the public.