Hip-hip Hooray! A win for the local community.

After a lot of advocacy from Jane Garrett and Fiona Richardson, Labor has decided to intervene in the Brunswick Terminal Station issue.

The ALP has just announced this afternoon, Monday, that a returned Brumby Government will examine the feasibility of alternatives to the current site & design. Post election, the incoming Minister for Energy's office will look at all the options and think creatively about how the Government can use its powers and land bank etc to get an outcome in everyone's interest. Let's hope alternative sites will be seriously looked at (not necessarily just the old Whelans tip site).

This is a real win for the Merri Creek community, surrounding areas and users of the creek valley.

This opens up the opportunity for the facility to be relocated entirely and provides further impetus for our campaign.

The Government has finally accepted that the existing "consultation" process is going to deliver a bumpy ride for everyone & that if it comes to the table with an open mind it can balance the competing interests.

Hip-hip Hooray!

LABOR TO GUARANTEE COMMUNITY INPUT INTO BRUNSWICK TERMINAL STATION REDEVELOPMENT

08/11/2010

Minister for Energy and Resources Peter Batchelor said today that a future Brumby Labor Government would work with all parties involved in the upgrade to the Brunswick Terminal Station to examine alternatives.

Mr Batchelor said that Labor Candidate for Brunswick Jane Garrett and Member for Northcote Fiona Richardson had made spirited representations on behalf of local residents concerned about the visual appearance, height of the proposed upgrade and the impact on local parklands.

“It is important to balance out the needs of the local community with the need for a secure energy supply able to meet the demands of a growing population,” Mr Batchelor said.
While the upgrade of the Brunswick Terminal Station has been planned for some time to boost the supply of power to the CBD, a community backlash earlier this year had forced energy companies CitiPower and SP AusNet to rethink plans to build a dozen 25 metre steel towers at its site along the Merri Creek in Brunswick East.
Labor Candidate for Brunswick Jane Garrett said that the local community and activists that had rallied around the upgrade of the Brunswick Terminal Station issue wanted a say in the design and were keen that alternatives were seriously considered.

“Local people feel passionate about Brunswick as a place to live and the Merri Creek and the green spaces are a real treasure,” Ms Garrett said.

“I welcome the commitment from the Minister for Energy and Resources that a future Brumby Labor Government will mediate the local community’s desire for public open spaces and sensitive urban planning with the critical importance of maintaining continuity of electricity supply for Melbourne.”

Ms Garrett said she would also take up the issue with Federal Minister Martin Ferguson who has oversight of the Australian Energy Market Operator, the planner for the Victorian electricity transmission network.

The upgrade is needed to give Melbourne a robust and secure power network and to minimise the risk of widespread outages. An engineer’s report found that two outages in 2001 in the Melbourne CBD that affected tens of thousands of customers, and cost millions of dollars to the economy, would have been avoided had the proposed upgrade to the electricity network been made.

MP urges power companies to consider residents plan

The Family Fun Day on 10/10/10 was a huge success with around 800 residents turning up throughout the afternoon to support the "Parks Not Pylons" campaign. It was a fantastic show of community spirit and demonstrates how passionate everyone is about getting a good outcome from the Brunswick Terminal Station upgrade.

Kelvin Thomson, Federal Member for Wills, spoke at the event and urged the power companies and regulators to seriously consider the alternate plan put forward by residents which would both place the new facility underground and open up more parkland for the community. He spoke about pressure on the local infrastructure with increased multi-unit housing in the area, and the urgent need for additional recreational space for Moreland residents.

Other politicians who attended included Jane Garrett (Mayor of Yarra and ALP candidate for Brunswick), Cyndi Dawes (Green candidate for Brunswick), Fiona Richardson (Member for Northcote), Anne Martinelli (Green candidate for Northcote), Greg Barber (Greens MLC), Cr Trent McCarthy (Darebin) and Cr Jo Conellan (Moreland). Thanks to them all for making the time to come along on a Sunday afternoon.

Singapore Power Ausnet, CitiPower and the Australian Energy Market Operator sent along a contingent of staff to talk to residents and explain their plans for a proper community consultation process. They said everyone in the local area should be receiving a newsletter and 'feedback form' in coming days so all residents should ensure they make their views known. Many thanks to all those who donated their time, energy and resources to the day - including Frank Woodley for being such an excellent MC, all those bands who entertained the crowds, the sausage sizzlers, face painters and all the behind the scenes crew who made it happen.

The Merri Creek Community Group will ensure that everyone who has signed up to this blog keeps getting regular updates on progress, so please encourage any of your neighbours or other supporters to sign up now. Thanks again to this wonderful community for being so supportive of the campaign to date - without you, futures generations would have been left the legacy of a sea of pylons and not the range of credible alternative solutions we now have on the table.

Family Fun Day - HUGE Political Line-up

Only 5 days to go until our big community rally and fun day this Sunday - and we need to ensure there is a big crowd to make their views known to the politicians from all levels of government that we have coming along.

Firstly, Adam Bandt the new Greens member for Melbourne (pictured right - is this his first local appearance since being elected??) and Kelvin Thomson (pictured left), the re-elected ALP member for Wills. They will hopefully give us some idea what our federal representatives can do to help keep the pylons OFF the table and get a more community focused solution on the BTS site.

And with the State Election looming in only six weeks, we have Fiona Richardson (Member for Northcote), Carlo Carli (retiring Member for Brunswick), Greg Barber (Greens member in the Upper House), and a whole host of candidates (Jane Garrett - ALP for Brunswick, Cyndi Dawes - Greens for Brunswick, Anne Martinelli - Greens for Northcote) coming along to hear the community's views.

Last but not least, we have representatives from three local Councils (Moreland, Yarra and Darebin) pledging to attend to hear what community members have to say. Make sure you, and all your family friends and colleagues, come along to make this a memorable occasion.

Fun starts at 12pm - serious stuff at 1pm - and continues throughout the afternoon.

Family Fun Day - entertainment line-up

Come and join in the fun on Sunday 10th October - and show your support for the Parks Not Pylons campaign. Venue is Sumner Park (home to the legendary Brunswick Zebras).

We have an awesome line-up of entertainment and activities for everyone from 12 noon. Our MC is the famously funny Frank Woodley (from Lano & Woodley) and local acts include:

Melbourne Ukelele Kollective (MUK)

Cowboy Cabaret

Spinifex Rose

Wendy Eayles

The Doubtfires

Serious stuff happening around 1pm with local politicians and candidates for the upcoming State Election pledging to come along. We will be asking them to support the commuity in its campaign for a better solutino at the Brunswick Terminal Station. Don't miss this bit!

Tell your neighbours, tell your friends - tell anyone who cares about Merri Creek and the local environment and who wants a day of free entertainment in our special corner of the world. This is our one shot to get our voice heard and get something special for the community as part of the upgrade project.

For more information or to volunteer your services on the day, contact Ramon Colodetti on 0416 235 391 and keep an eye out on the blogspot for updates.

Parks Not Pylons Family Fun Day

Come and support you friends and neighbours in their struggle against twelve 26 m high towers electricity towers in the Merri Parkland and vision for the extension of the park.

Sumner Park, Alistair St, Fitzroy North see Google Maps 

Kelvin Thomson MP says 'NO' to pylons

Recently Kelvin Thomson, Member for Wills, met with representatives of the Merri Creek Residents Group on site at the Brunswick Terminal Station. He is very supportive of our moves to establish a working party that involves all levels of government, as well as other key stakeholders, to ensure we make the most of the unique opportunity that the BTS upgrade project represents. Kelvin agrees with our proposition that using gas-insulated technology and undergrounding the facility would be the preferred solution and was most impressed with the work that has gone into our campaign so far.

Kelvin has committed to contacting Martin Ferguson, federal member for the neighbouring seat of Batman, and Minister for Resources and Energey, about this matter and working with our steering group to develop a better outcome for local residents and the broader community.

Kelvin Thomson with local residents at the Brunswick Terminal Station

The Melbourne Times Article

Plug pulled on power station upgrade

PRESSURE is growing for an electrical power station, which will feed the inner city and northern suburbs’ electricity needs, to be built underground.

Last month, Moreland Council scuttled plans lodged by power company SP AusNet to upgrade the Brunswick terminal station from 225 megavolts to 675 megavolts. SP AusNet says it is crucial to upgrade and expand the power station to secure electricity supply to the CBD, Carlton, Northcote, Brunswick and surrounding areas.

The power station is surrounded by houses and backs onto Merri Creek.
The Essential Services Commission approved the upgrade of the station, owned by SP AusNet and run by CitiPower/Powercor, finding it was the most efficient way to meet the innernorth’s growing power needs.

When rebuffing the SP AusNet proposal – which included planting trees around the power station to shield it from view – Moreland’s planning committee said opportunities to build an underground power station should be investigated.

Two state seats, three federal electorates and three municipalities adjoin the site.
Wills MHR Kelvin Thomson said the original proposal would dominate the Merri Creek environment and was not appropriate. ‘‘I do think we should be looking at ways to get this facility underground.’’

Northcote MLA Fiona Richardson commended SP AusNet for not immediately appealing Moreland Council’s decision to VCAT. ‘‘This approach is very welcome indeed.’’
Ms Richardson wrote to Energy Minister Peter Batchelor asking him to meet residents and explain what, if anything, he could do for ‘‘a better outcome’’.

‘Moreland councillor Jo Connellan said representatives from SP AusNet, the three councils and residents would meet in the next fortnight.

Via The Melbourne Times - Registration required