Tonight on "A Current Affair" and also "Today/Tonight" our campaign was featured, with interviews from outside the Council Chambers. Thanks to everyone who turned up and supported and especially to Meryn Callander who co-ordinated this event. Congratulations Mullumaction! We've had feedback from http://www.erskinevillevillage.org/ who say they are "with us".... check out their website for similar campaign. The national networking has begun!
I have a VHS recording of the Current Affair, and hope to get it onto
the website soon. Regards, Deborah
Thursday, March 27, 2008
TV team in town Thurs & Fri 27 & 28 March
TV Today/Tonight team are in town today from 12 noon at Eden's Landing - will be wandering around filming and interviewing at random and then will interview Chris Abraham at 2 pm outside Mullum council chambers (it was to be be Woolworth's site but rain's changed the venue).
Tomorrow they will be interviewing Helena at 11.15 and wandering in town till 2 pm at Lulu's cafe.
PLEASE MAKE YOUR PRESENCE FELT WITH BANNERS, SIGNS AND OPINIONS!
Following is helpful info if you happen to get interviewed:
We want to alert people across Australia about what is happening here in Mullumbimby, and that it could happen in their own town. We are in a growing line of communities that have protested against Woolworths development, including Griffith, Sandgate (Brisbane), Lane Cove (Sydney), Maleny and Kempsey. In each of these communities monetary might and political clout has won out over the voice and actions of the local people.
We want it to be known that we are part of a growing wave of citizens who recognize the destructive impact of multinational corporations co-opting their town’s economy and that this destruction cannot continue. We want people to know that it matters a great deal how and where they shop, and that shopping is an active decision. Each time we buy something we are supporting a particular business practice as well as the ethics of that business practice. We want people to know how and where their food was produced and how many food-miles it has traveled. We want to know if we are buying a local product or a foreign one; supporting local farmers or overseas ones. We want people to be aware of how multinational corporations suck the blood out of local communities and contribute massively to global warming.
The NSW State Department of Planning over-rode Byron Shire Council’s objection to the development and our community was not listened to by the government. We are outraged that, in the face of all that we know about the importance of strengthening local economies, Woolworths may be allowed to come to our town. We want people tell State Planning Minister Sartor, as well as our Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, that this blatant abuse of democratic process is not acceptable.
Some reasons why we don’t need Woolworths in Mullumbimby are as follows: Woolworths offer minimal financial support to local communities comparedto local businesses, who regularly donate many tens of thousands of dollarswhile also offering other forms of support to local causes. This support keeps our local sporting clubs, community groups and the arts alive.
Many local retailers provide personalised services to their customerswhile Woolworths do not. These will be lost if local businesses are forced todownsize or cease trading.
Woolworths plan to build a bigger supermarket than the one in Byron - with a bottleshop - surrounded by tarmac, close to the gateway of our town. Besides being an eyesore, this development is totally out of character with the residential setting, as well as with the small-business diversity of our town.
Fragmentation of our town centre will diminish the cohesion,sustainability, and unique character of Mullumbimby and the heart of ourcommunity.
The growing impact of global warming and peak oil makes it more importantthan ever to support our local producers and merchants in creating aresilient, vibrant, and sustainable local economy. In and around Mullumbimbywe have a rich, creative community, cultural diversity, experience and the fertile lands to create a model of localized sustainability. We’ve got what it takes!
Tomorrow they will be interviewing Helena at 11.15 and wandering in town till 2 pm at Lulu's cafe.
PLEASE MAKE YOUR PRESENCE FELT WITH BANNERS, SIGNS AND OPINIONS!
Following is helpful info if you happen to get interviewed:
We want to alert people across Australia about what is happening here in Mullumbimby, and that it could happen in their own town. We are in a growing line of communities that have protested against Woolworths development, including Griffith, Sandgate (Brisbane), Lane Cove (Sydney), Maleny and Kempsey. In each of these communities monetary might and political clout has won out over the voice and actions of the local people.
We want it to be known that we are part of a growing wave of citizens who recognize the destructive impact of multinational corporations co-opting their town’s economy and that this destruction cannot continue. We want people to know that it matters a great deal how and where they shop, and that shopping is an active decision. Each time we buy something we are supporting a particular business practice as well as the ethics of that business practice. We want people to know how and where their food was produced and how many food-miles it has traveled. We want to know if we are buying a local product or a foreign one; supporting local farmers or overseas ones. We want people to be aware of how multinational corporations suck the blood out of local communities and contribute massively to global warming.
The NSW State Department of Planning over-rode Byron Shire Council’s objection to the development and our community was not listened to by the government. We are outraged that, in the face of all that we know about the importance of strengthening local economies, Woolworths may be allowed to come to our town. We want people tell State Planning Minister Sartor, as well as our Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, that this blatant abuse of democratic process is not acceptable.
Some reasons why we don’t need Woolworths in Mullumbimby are as follows: Woolworths offer minimal financial support to local communities comparedto local businesses, who regularly donate many tens of thousands of dollarswhile also offering other forms of support to local causes. This support keeps our local sporting clubs, community groups and the arts alive.
Many local retailers provide personalised services to their customerswhile Woolworths do not. These will be lost if local businesses are forced todownsize or cease trading.
Woolworths plan to build a bigger supermarket than the one in Byron - with a bottleshop - surrounded by tarmac, close to the gateway of our town. Besides being an eyesore, this development is totally out of character with the residential setting, as well as with the small-business diversity of our town.
Fragmentation of our town centre will diminish the cohesion,sustainability, and unique character of Mullumbimby and the heart of ourcommunity.
The growing impact of global warming and peak oil makes it more importantthan ever to support our local producers and merchants in creating aresilient, vibrant, and sustainable local economy. In and around Mullumbimbywe have a rich, creative community, cultural diversity, experience and the fertile lands to create a model of localized sustainability. We’ve got what it takes!
Monday, March 3, 2008
letter to our website www.mullumaction.org
Comments. . . . . .I am from Sydneys Northern Beaches and I am writing to congratulate you on this amazing step forwards for DEMOCRACY.> > > > Its sad that the people who are representing you in Parliament are so weak, lazy and out of touch that you have had to take the needs of your community into your own hands.> > > > Good on you. We have some major problems on Sydneys Northern Beaches with the State Government bulldozing our High Schools, illegally and its closure is still with ICAC.> > > > Frank Sartor following his success of bulldozing a $50 million dollar HIgh School wants to bulldoze Seaforth Tafe (at a time when we have a national skills shortage) The Tafe has union bans on it - 9 years - the longest in the history of education in our country, yet still EMPEROR SARTOR pushes on. Our council have not done enough and have caused us hell and want to flatten a $55 milllion dollar Tafe and put up another multi storey apartment block for which our Government will gain a paultry $5 million dollars but of course the Developers will make a motza> > > > Can you help us by letting us know how hard it is to construct a website and where we could start so we can help ourselves like you and hopefully get some success like yourselves.> > > > I WANT TO MOVE TO MULLUM YOU PEOPLE ARE AWESOME> > > > SUSIE COLVIN
Saturday, March 1, 2008
VISIT OUR NEW WEBSITE
www.mullumaction.org is our new site, where you can watch videos of the Telstra Auction and a recent public meeting.
TELSTRA SITE RETURNED TO COMMUNITY!!
In less than 4 weeks of existence, Mullumbimby Community Action Group (MCAG) has achieved a major objective – to secure the old Telstra depot for community. Byron Shire Council’s successful bid for the site at an auction on Friday means that this strategic position at the entrance to Mullumbimby will not become an extension of the proposed Woolworth’s development next door.
MCAG was formed on Australia Day: 26 January 2008 in response to a report that Woolworths was coming to Mullumbimby, announced on the 1st January. Concerned residents have so far had three public meetings from which emerged the main goal: to stop Woolworths coming to Mullumbimby. Securing the Telstra site for community was another goal, and a “Telstra Site Acquisition Group” was formed, meeting weekly.
An Urgency Motion was organized by ex-Councillor Duncan Day, and Deborah Lilly addressed a meeting of Byron Shire Council during public access on 14 February. Councillors voted 4 -3 in favour of investigating acquiring the site, and one week later … they bought it! This was a miraculously fast move by Council, and is a brilliant demonstration of the influence of collective community spirit.
Winning this site for community and stopping the Woolworths encroachment at the entrance to our town is a terrific outcome for MCAG! Our next step is to raise public awareness of the enormous benefit to our town when we “buy local”. Circulating our dollars locally keeps our unique community creatively employed in jobs that we choose.
Keeping Woolworths out of town could enable Mullumbimby to become a model of sustainability… or just another link in the urban sprawl from Tweed Coast to Ballina.
Its our town and we have the collective spirit to chose our future…. use it or lose it!
One miracle in less than a month is a great start!
MCAG was formed on Australia Day: 26 January 2008 in response to a report that Woolworths was coming to Mullumbimby, announced on the 1st January. Concerned residents have so far had three public meetings from which emerged the main goal: to stop Woolworths coming to Mullumbimby. Securing the Telstra site for community was another goal, and a “Telstra Site Acquisition Group” was formed, meeting weekly.
An Urgency Motion was organized by ex-Councillor Duncan Day, and Deborah Lilly addressed a meeting of Byron Shire Council during public access on 14 February. Councillors voted 4 -3 in favour of investigating acquiring the site, and one week later … they bought it! This was a miraculously fast move by Council, and is a brilliant demonstration of the influence of collective community spirit.
Winning this site for community and stopping the Woolworths encroachment at the entrance to our town is a terrific outcome for MCAG! Our next step is to raise public awareness of the enormous benefit to our town when we “buy local”. Circulating our dollars locally keeps our unique community creatively employed in jobs that we choose.
Keeping Woolworths out of town could enable Mullumbimby to become a model of sustainability… or just another link in the urban sprawl from Tweed Coast to Ballina.
Its our town and we have the collective spirit to chose our future…. use it or lose it!
One miracle in less than a month is a great start!
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