Monday 25 July 2016

Harm Minimisation Summit, Nation Art School, Millers Point, Heritage and Social Housing, National Tree Day, WestConnex Meeting, Carbon Budget Talk and Equality Discrimination & Faith Forum

Harm Minimisation Summit

Drugs policy must focus on preventing death and injury, encouraging those with problems to get effective help and on reducing drug-related crime. It’s time that we had an open discussion about drugs focused on reducing harm in the community without hype, hysteria, moralism and stigma. As a member of the Harm Minimisation Cross-Party Roundtable I will host a summit on new approaches to drug use and problems with Experts in drug issues from policy, health services, academia, user advocacy groups and law. Follow the summit at www.facebook.com/nswcphmr/  and read Sun-Herald report HERE and editorial HERE. 

Last week I attended a beautiful ceremony in Kings Cross for International Remembrance Day for those who have died from drug related deaths. My thanks to the Wayside Chapel, NUAA, Kirkton Road Centre, Family Drug Support, Australian Injecting and Illicit Drug Users League, MSIC and City of Sydney for organising and supporting this event.

National Art School

The National Art School provides a unique studio-based form of arts education that has produced generations of successful Sydney artists and is essential to a thriving Sydney arts scene. But talks are advancing to subsume the school into the university system, which as of last month only consists of two schools, and there are indications the site could be flogged off by the NSW Government for residential development. Sydney must provide different arts education approaches and more than just residential apartments. Get involved in the campaign to keep the school independent. Follow Friends of the National Art School at www.facebook.com/Friends-of-the-National-Art-School-FONAs. I will raise this in Parliament when it resumes next week.

Millers Point, Heritage and Social Housing

I continue to work with Save Our Sirius, Save Our Heritage group and the Millers Point Community Working Party to address heritage, social housing and tenants’ needs in the harbour north precinct. While tenant relocations and sale of government assets continue, we await the Minister for Heritage’s decision on the Heritage Council’s recommendation to list the Sirius building on the NSW Heritage Register. In response to the over 500 signatures tabled on my petition for Sirius to be heritage listed and continue to provide necessary social housing, the Minister for Social Housing says a decision on the future of Sirius awaits the Minister for Heritage’s decision. The Minister’s response to the petition is HERE. Download, print and sign the petition HERE. 

Millers Point, Dawes Point and The Rocks residents can join me for Lord Mayor Clover Moore’s Social Housing Forum on Thursday 4 August. The forum will bring together City of Sydney officers, Housing NSW Staff, NSW Police and Community leaders to discuss and address issues affecting the community. I understand Clover has also invited the Minister for Social Housing to speak with the community. Details HERE or phone 9246 7509 for more information.

National Tree Day

Planet Ark’s National Tree Day will be held on Sunday 31 July. Now in its 20th year, National Tree Day has been responsible for planting 22 million trees. Now it’s more important than ever to make our city greener and help restore shade and habitat for wildlife. More information HERE. Find a tree planting event near you HERE.

WestConnex Meeting

Major redevelopments will affect our city’s liveability and on Wednesday the City of Sydney will hold a public meeting to discuss the Central to Eveleigh redevelopment project and the campaign against the WestConnex. Details: Wednesday 27 July from 6.30pm at Alexandria Town Hall, Garden Street, Alexandria. Further information HERE. 

Carbon Budget Talk

On Tuesday 26 July at 6pm the Powerhouse will host a free Carbon Budget Talk as part of Sydney Climate Justice Series. Speakers include Lesley Hughes, ecologist and professor at Macquarie University; Anna Skarbek, CEO of ClimateWorks; and Miriam Lyons, Renewable Energy Campaigner at Get Up. The event will consider Australia’s carbon budget and what strategies can be adopted to stay within the Global Carbon Budget. The event is organised by UNSW Practical Justice Initiative and the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences. Get your free ticket HERE. 

Reminder: Equality, Discrimination & Faith Forum

Tickets are still available to join me for the PIAC forum on ‘Equality, Discrimination & Faith’, 6:30pm on Monday 1 August. As a speaker on the panel I look forward to the discussion and hope you can attend. Start the conversation on Twitter @PIACnews or pose a question for our panel using #AskJulieMC. Book your tickets HERE.