ULURU STATEMENT FROM THE HEART

"We, gathered at the 2017 National Constitutional Convention, coming from all points of the southern sky, make this statement from the heart:

Our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tribes were the first sovereign Nations of the Australian continent and its adjacent islands, and possessed it under our own laws and customs. This our ancestors did, according to the reckoning of our culture, from the Creation, according to the common law from ‘time immemorial’, and according to science more than 60,000 years ago.

This sovereignty is a spiritual notion: the ancestral tie between the land, or ‘mother nature’, and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who were born therefrom, remain attached thereto, and must one day return thither to be united with our ancestors. This link is the basis of the ownership of the soil, or better, of sovereignty. It has never been ceded or extinguished, and co-exists with the sovereignty of the Crown.

How could it be otherwise? That peoples possessed a land for sixty millennia and this sacred link disappears from world history in merely the last two hundred years?

With substantive constitutional change and structural reform, we believe this ancient sovereignty can shine through as a fuller expression of Australia’s nationhood.

Proportionally, we are the most incarcerated people on the planet. We are not an innately criminal people. Our children are aliened from their families at unprecedented rates. This cannot be because we have no love for them. And our youth languish in detention in obscene numbers. They should be our hope for the future.

These dimensions of our crisis tell plainly the structural nature of our problem. This is the torment of our powerlessness.

We seek constitutional reforms to empower our people and take a rightful place in our own country. When we have power over our destiny our children will flourish. They will walk in two worlds and their culture will be a gift to their country.

We call for the establishment of a First Nations Voice enshrined in the Constitution.

Makarrata is the culmination of our agenda: the coming together after a struggle. It captures our aspirations for a fair and truthful relationship with the people of Australia and a better future for our children based on justice and self-determination.

We seek a Makarrata Commission to supervise a process of agreement-making between governments and First Nations and truth-telling about our history.

In 1967 we were counted, in 2017 we seek to be heard. We leave base camp and start our trek across this vast country. We invite you to walk with us in a movement of the Australian people for a better future."

The Voice referendum has come out of the The Uluru statement.

The Uluru Statement website is an informative space that has a timeline of the actions and conversations that have got our nation to this point in time.

The Yes and No pamphlets for the Voice Referendum have both been released. Both Yes and No pamphlets have been at independently fact-checked by ‘The Guardian’, and well worth a read.

So if you don’t know, there’s still time to find out. Ignorance is not bliss.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/ng-interactive/2023/jul/20/the-vote-no-pamphlet-referendum-voice-to-parliament-voting-essay-aec-published-read-in-full-annotated-fact-checked

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/ng-interactive/2023/jul/20/the-vote-yes-pamphlet-referendum-voice-to-parliament-voting-essay-aec-published-read-in-full-annotated-fact-checked

Here’s some more Voice info links:

• dca.org.au/topics/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-peoples
• ulurustatement.org/education/resources
• reconciliation.org.au/reconciliation/support-a-voice-to-parliament
• australianstogether.org.au/other-resources/voice-of-parliament
• monash.edu/law/research/centres/castancentre/our-areas-of-work/indigenous/voice-to-parliament-resources
• voice.gov.au
• https://www.ruleoflaw.org.au/voice-the-case-for-voting-no/ [no case]

Why do Sustainable Neighbourhood Volunteers do what they do?

TASNG Update- July

The next meeting of the Toronto Area Sustainable Neighbourhood Group will be  9/8/23
2nd Wednesday of the Month
5-6:30pm 

The Hub, 97 The Boulevarde.
 All Welcome. 

Local initiatives of the Toronto Area Sustainable Neighbourhood Group (TASNG) include:

1. Advocating for Shared Pathways with priority Toronto to Booragul, but not forgetting Kilaben Bay to Rathmines;
2. Advocating to LMCC and Biraban Land Council about planning for a Biraban/Threlkeld memorial as part of the Toronto Foreshore Planning later this year;
   
3. Setting up a major display at the new Landcare and Sustainable Living Centre (umali barai-ku) for“Plastic Free July” to encourage people to reduce their purchase of all plastics, reuse of containers, and recycle plastics where available;
4. Maintaining the garden established on Awaba Road at the entrance to West Toronto and the wetlands opposite Lions Park;
5. Helping the Boomerang Bags group at Toronto Library, second Saturday of each month;
6. Supporting the Pamper Care project at the Woodrising Neighbourhood Centre by collecting food during the current rental crisis;
7. Advocating for the community against the overdevelopment proposal for apartments at Cary St adjacent to McDonalds;
8. Participating in resilience meetings about climate change preparation through Ausgrid and Toronto to Teralba area meetings;
9. Launching an anti-graffiti campaign in Toronto, acknowledging support from Toronto police and local businesses with Certificates of Appreciation and applying for a Clubs Grant to set up Awabakal mural displays at Goodsir St Toronto where graffiti was removed.

Pamper Care Report 

A HUGE, HUGE thank you to those who supported Pamper Care with cash and product. It is really appreciated.

Again, tin June we had a high turnover of clients needing support. Thirty one people, including those with cats, needed mainly food assistance.

Once again, Pamper Care funds subsidized some of the OZHarvest intake. At Woodrising Neighbourhood Centre’s OzHarvest day, held ona Thursday, at least 12 people have attended each week, coming in for fresh fruit and vegetables.

Ausgrid resilience workshops

About 30 residents from Lake Macquarie have attended three workshops since April (with one more in October) to assess options for Ausgrid to implementstrategies to improve the resilience of infrastructure and community responses during severe weather events.

Along with Port Stevens and Central Coast, Ausgrid is submitting a proposal to the Australian Energy Regulator to spend about $200M in support of these and other initiatives.

Current focus areas for Lake Macquarie are: protection of high vegetation areas from east coast lows, reduced outage time and frequency for most customers, development of a blackout plan, an Ausgrid liaison person shared between the three Councils, energy resilience, small mobile generators (also for mobile phone towers) and communications targeting vulnerable customers.

Was your July plastic free?

It’s almost impossible to be plastic free, which is why we’ve got ourselves into this pollution pickle. The numbers and impact are staggering. From the IUCN webpage they say 

• Over 400 million tons of plastic are produced every year for use in a wide variety of applications.
• At least 14 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean every year, and plastic makes up 80% of all marine debris found from surface waters to deep-sea sediments.
• Marine species ingest or are entangled by plastic debris, which causes severe injuries and death.
• Plastic pollution threatens food safety and quality, human health, coastal tourism, and contributes to climate change.
• There is an urgent need to explore new and existing legally binding agreements to address marine plastic pollution.
• The most power we have to change things is at a personal level, supported by agencies that encourage and facilitate a low plastic lifestyle.

We are very fortunate to have a Council that is leading the way in closing the loop on plastic pollution.

So if you’re one of the people that’s been stock piling your soft plastics since RedCycle shut up shop last year then you’re about to regain some storage space.

A soft plastics recycling solution is now available once again!

Locals can drop off household quantities of non-foil-based soft plastics free of charge at the Awaba Community Recycling Centre (CRC).

Council will also recover hard plastics such as bumper bars, laundry baskets and planter pots, along with old CDs and DVDs, from its waste management facilities to divert these materials from landfill.

These hard and soft plastics will be collected by Australian Composite Technology to be pelletised and transformed into a specialty material known as ‘Plasmar’, used to create products such as fence posts, bollards, sleepers and park benches.

As part of the agreement, Council will buy back the manufactured products for use across Lake Macquarie, contributing to the city’s circular economy.

So if you’re heading to the tip, why not let your neighbours know and drop their softies off too!

But there’s more (and no it’s not a set of steak knives).

There is a way to reduce plastic use, one product at a time. The Plastic Free July website offers loads of advice.

When you look in your cupboard how many of your cleaning products come in plastic containers?

Taking the next steps…

Bulk food stores often offer refillable cleaning products, including window cleaner, dishwashing liquid, and laundry powder/liquid. Farmers markets, chain supermarkets and even delivery trucks increasingly offer refills.

Buying eco-friendly cleaning products in bulk and sharing them with friends, family members and neighbours can be a great way to reduce plastic waste too.

Many people make a simple all-purpose cleaner with equal parts of white vinegar and water (vinegar is a recommended product for mould removal), while others make a water and bicarbonate soda paste for scrubbing. Adding a few drops of essential oil or a squeeze of citrus juice will make homemade cleaning options smell great too.

The impact:

• Avoiding chemicals that can be toxic for yourself, your family and the planet.
• Reducing plastic waste and the use of our natural resources in creating it.
• Saving money by buying in bulk or using homemade cleaning products.

https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/get-involved/what-you-can-do/plastic-free-cleaning/

What’s happening on the foreshore? Works update – July 2023

Aboriginal Heritage Impact Permit

From mid-July LMCC will be undertaking investigation works at Toronto foreshore to help prepare the Aboriginal Heritage Impact Permit for future precincts of the Toronto foreshore revitalisation project.

The investigations are part of the due diligence process for the detailed designs of these future stages.

Wharf Road Precinct

LMCC are on track for works to begin on the Wharf Road Precinct, including the Toronto Baths enclosure in mid-2024. This precinct includes:

• expansion of the playground
• expanded cafe area
• expanded amenities
• shade pavilion and seating with barbecues
• outdoor fitness zone
• landscaping and pathways
• two accessible car parking spaces at the end of Wharf Road
• the removal of the boat ramp at Wharf Road.

Prior to works starting, LMCC will be working directly with affected stakeholders, as well implementing a robust communications plan to inform the wider community about the works

The plans for the rest of the foreshore precincts as outlined on the council’s website include 

The Terraces Precinct works will celebrate the existing character of the site and provide connections along and between each terrace.

This stage is in detailed design but will involve key elements such as:

• shade pavilion and seating
• lookouts
• extension of the shared pathway to link to the Town Green
• demolition of the cottages at 5 and 9 Victory Row
• vegetation and landscaping

The Bath Street Precinct is in detailed design but will involve key elements such as:

• new public square and parking
• commercial building approximately 300sqm
• new landscaped terraces
• belvedere and new stair connections

What’s a ‘belvedere’ you may ask? It is derived from the Italian belvidere, which means beautiful view, and that’s exactly the purpose of these structures. According to Wikipedia “A belvedere is an architectural structure sited to take advantage of a fine or scenic view. The term has been used both for rooms in the upper part of a building or structures on the roof, or a separate pavilion in a garden or park.”

Looks like Toronto might become a two rotunda town!

Locals landcaring in August

Where we are landcaring this month?

Tools & techniques provided. A very social morning tea at 10am. Feel free to pop by and have a chat.

• 3/8 Gurranba
• 10/8 Stansfield- Nikinba
• 17/8 Puntei Creek Reserve
• 24/8 Stansfield- Nikinba
• 31/8 Puntei Creek Reserve
• 7/9 Hampton Steet Link

Crocodile Point

1st &3rd Wednesday of the month
8:30-10am. Meet under the Fennel Bay bridge

Want to join Us?
If you would like to receive weekly emails about where we are landcaring and what we will be doing? email cppalandcare@gmail.com

More information about the local landcare sites and the action plans are here

Spanish Moss, a weed in the winds

La Nina has been wonderful for our lawns and gardens over the last year or so. Sadly it has also boosted weed growth in both gardens and bushland. In particular, there has been an enormous growth of Tillandsia usneoides, commonly known as Spanish Moss or Old Man’s Beard.

This air plant has been introduced here from the Americas. It has been decoratively draped over fences, trees and shrubs in many local properties. Unfortunately, it has increased to the point where the host plant is so smothered that it is difficult to identify. Then comes the threat to our beautiful native bushland.

Spanish Moss is carried by the wind and by birds and has been observed in our reserves. It has the potential to form dense blankets smothering native vegetation, altering habitats and threatening whole eco-systems. Once established in the bush, it is almost impossible to get rid of as it can be so high in the tree-tops.

It is hoped that it is not too late to protect our bushland, by removing, containing and controlling the growth of this exotic plant in our neighbourhood. Garden escapes can be disposed of in our green bins.

Let’s work together to keep our local, unique eco-systems healthy, safe and strong.

Be inspired, be empowered, be a Landcarer.

Celebrate Landcare Week with us!

• Tuesday 8 August - Bus Trip

• Thursday 10 August - Landcare Info Session

Our annual bus trip will stop at Dora Creek Boat Ramp Landcare, Lakeview Road Morisset Park Landcare, and Wyee Point Reserve 2022 Landcare sites. Morning tea and lunch will be provided. Learn more and book your spot here by Friday 4 August.

We’ve also teamed up with Council’s Over 55’s Program to showcase all things Landcare. This includes a presentation by Landcarer Lois Simpson, a Q&A panel, and a ‘Create your own habitat garden’ activity. Please email lro@lakemac.nsw.gov.au if you would like to be a part of this day.

OzMulch Petitions Minister to be heard.

Ozmulch is a local family business, owned by Damien and Kristine Jensen. They have been trading across the Lake Macquarie and Newcastle community for over 20 years recycling green waste so it doesn’t go to landfill, and returning it to the environment through local projects across the region, from children’s playgrounds to water filtration systems.

The EPA are claiming the operation is polluting the environment. The Jensen family want the NSW Minister for the Environment to intervene.

An online petition has gathered 13,847 signatures so far to “urge the NSW Minister for the Environment to review the EPA’s decision, by working with us and not against us. Let there be open communication and allow us to show that we are a business that deeply cares for and respects the environment.”

You can sign the petition here

DAs In Play 8/6/23 to 27/7/23

The CPPA endeavours to provide a summary of active applications in our area as outlined in the table below.

Please consult LMCC’s website for a full listing: 

• DA = Development Application
• BC = Building Information Certificate
• TA = Tree Assessment
• CC = Construction Certificate
• CDC = Complying
• Development Certificate
• REF = Review Environmental Factors
• SC = Subdivision Certificate.
• MU = Mixed use
• RFB = Residential flat Building