Mallard fuels transport debate

Councillor Shayne Mallard’s proposal to remove councillors’ parking has sparked a debate on the Council’s transport policies.
Cr Mallard’s proposal would remove the rarely used 24hr parking spaces and replace it with visitor parking and a booking system for councillors.
The proposal was strongly rejected. Councillors instead requested for its CEO, Monica Barone, to investigate options.
Liberal Cr Mallard said: “The car parks under Town Hall are a contradiction to Council policy.”
“[At] every Council meeting we’re giving residents a hard time about parking.”
“The empty car spaces are costing tax payers,” he said.
The Council pays an annual levy to the State Government for use of the parking spots which Cr Mallard claimed costs $10,000 per space.
The City of Sydney avoided answering questions on the matter.
Both Crs Harris and Tornai said the parking spots weren’t important to them and they were happy for the CEO to investigate the issue as previously discussed in the committee meeting.
Cr Harris said: “I’m happy for the CEO to remove the spots. I just didn’t want Cr Mallard to dictate to the CEO how that’s going to happen.”
“This is more about Cr Mallard grandstanding.”
Cr Mallard said the CEO’s report should have been raised at the last Council meeting as it may not be tabled for another year.
“I was pretty disgusted with their response . . . what I’m seeing is waste and I’m trying to balance that,” he said.
President of Friends of Erskineville (FoE), Brett Mason, said the proposal sounded reasonable, considering the city’s parking shortages.
Mr Mason said the Council has removed parking spots and if the aim is to reduce car usage, it should be more transparent.
“I’ve been to Japan and I know you can’t own a car there unless you have off-street parking. If that is the position the City of Sydney are going to pursue, then come out and say it.”
Over the last six months Council has been inundated with residents complaints over parking following large developments in Alexandria, Glebe, Erskeville and Forest Lodge.
Members of FoE and Alexandria Residents Action Group have slammed the Council’s lack of response to these complaints.
Cr Tornai, who travels to the Council chambers by bus, dismissed the recent parking concerns of residents and said the future of the LGA is light rail.
“The time has arrived for the residents living in this inner city of ours to come to the same realisation as people did in New York, London and Paris. A car can be an expensive nuisance.”
Mr Mason said there is no discussion on light rail or car sharing policies.
“There seems to be a perception everyone who lives in the LGA works in the CBD.”
“I’m not going to ride my bike down the M4.”
“If I live in Erskineville and drive a car and don’t have off-street parking what do I do?”
“Residents are crying out for public transport.”

By Nicholas Jordan