In the final part of NBN News’s special series ‘The Great Divide’, we look to the future of Newcastle’s city centre, with or without GPT and the rail line.
text will be replaced
In the final part of NBN News’s special series ‘The Great Divide’, we look to the future of Newcastle’s city centre, with or without GPT and the rail line.
Why are we in thrall to GPT et al telling us how to revive the CBD and what makes a healthy city. Profit to GPT does not make for a healthy Newcastle instead prosperity for all s part of what will make the Newcastle CBD healthy.
An example a coupe of years ago when the Hunter Business Chamber was pushing for the closure of the rail line I emailed its CEO that I was concerned and he very promptly got back to me to ask me my concerns. So I emailed him back that closure of the rail and its replacement by light rail/tram and/or bus was going to increase journey times and what was the chamber’s solution to increased jorney times. Wonder of wonder I never heard back from him despite further requests to tell me how my journey times were going to be affected.
Don’t forget fellow Novacastrians the low petrol price is only temporary and in ten years time the losers wont be public transport users but the citizens of those cities that cut out public transport al la GPT’s demands and find they can’t afford to buy petrol. GPT’s demands and the Hunter Business Chamber’s idea sare hostage to old thinking. Please think beyond such old thinking when waiting for the level crossing to rise so that you can race forward to sit still at the next traffic light.
The Government is killing Newcastle’s hope to re-establish its struggling commercial sector, ignoring the need for infrastructure, and telling Newcastle that developments, that would further block the access between the foreshore and city with large private buildings, are infrastructure. These buildings would not only prevent access but also draw large cold shadows and block views. It is known that strong railways, unaffected by traffic, are needed in major cities globally to combat congestion. Newcastle’s population is increasing. It is the second biggest city in NSW.
I just saw on NBN 6pm news (ie. the channel Jodi Mckay was working for) that a survey showed 51% in support for the rail removal, 8% showed some support… I assume that 8% therefore showed some opposition also, and 41 percent were opposed completely. NBN news also mentioned that 43% of those people surveyed use the city center next to never. It was not even clear if it was Newcastle people this survey was based on. It seems amazing but yes Jodi believes this botched batch of statistics shows “overwhelming” support for the removal of the rail line. 51% is hardly a landslide. What I find overwhelming is that she is basing her statistics on a group of people of which almost half never use the city. Apparently Nathan Rees needs to brush up on his stats lessons too as he also sees nothing wrong with these clearly ill applied stats. NBN also have put up a Newcastle Rail Debate feature showing 61% of viewers voted that they are opposed to cutting the rail line. That’s bigger than the governments 51% of people in favour.
Why are we even letting GPT, an organisztion that has been all over the news for its financial decline and turn over of executive staff, make proposals on our future? It has been reported that they are in danger of corporate take over and whatever plan might be on the table could easily be changed. Why is our government allowing such an unstable client to have a say in our direction? They say they are selling out their investments all over the word to focus on Australia but it is also fair to say that if a company is failing and financially unstable it needs to sell off assets to survive. Apparently their way out of debt is to drive up rental prices meaning our retailer’s prices will be driven up more. All aboard Newcastle the Titantic has come to town with a new coat of paint… it’s safe – really it is.