News Brief

P-Plater turns sedan into small bus

A Berowra Heights man was charged by police on Sunday when he was caught allegedly drink-driving with eight passengers in his car. Police noticed a Toyota Camry travelling along William Street in Darlinghurst in the early hours of Sunday morning.

A check of the car revealed four men and four women travelling in the vehicle, plus the driver. Six of the passengers were in the rear seat while two others were sharing the front passenger seat.

The driver – the only one wearing a seat belt – was subjected to a roadside breath test which proved positive. He was charged with low-range drink-driving, having more than four unrestrained passengers and not displaying p-plates. He will appear at the Downing Centre Local Court on October 25. The passengers were issued with infringement notices.

Immigration lock-down

Two protesters locked their necks onto beams in the Department of Immigration with D-locks before 5pm on Tuesday. The action was in solidarity with 11 asylum seekers protesting on a roof at Villawood Detention Centre. Police called emergency services cut the locks and arrested the protesters despite protesters saying they offered up the keys.

Three caught in police net after Newtown operation

Three people are facing court after a police operation targeting opportunistic stealing offences within Newtown CBD.

The Newtown Proactive Crime Team and the Central Metropolitan Region Enforcement Squad conducted the day long operation last week.

The operation was run in response to community concerns about thefts occurring during the latter half of the week.

Two men and a woman were arrested during the operation. The man was tried last week but the two women are waiting for an October 5 trial date.

Newtown Duty Officer Inspector Lara Raymond said thieves were targeting areas where people congregate such as restaurants and cafes.

First-timer victorious in Sydney Marathon

Kenya’s Isaac Serem ran and won his first ever Marathon with his victory in the 2010 Blackmores Sydney Marathon over the weekend.

He joined more than 34,200 people who ran, jogged, and walked across the Sydney Harbour Bridge to the Opera House finish line of the tenth Blackmores Sydney Running Festival, which was considered by the event’s Director.

Australian Paralympian Kurt Fernley also won the Blackmores Sydney Wheelchair Marathon for the sixth time. His image appears on the medal given to every person finishing the race this year.

“It’s a great honour to be on the medals and it’s something I’m really humbled by,” he said.

Sydney’s forum for the far-right

An annual gathering of the far-right, The Sydney Forum, ran uncharacteristically unimpeded this year. Organiser Dr Jim Saleam from the Australia First Party (AFP) said about 100 were in attendance at a clandestine meeting in Blacktown on Saturday, and a meeting at the AFP headquarters in Tempe on Sunday. About 20 protesters rallied outside The Hub, opposite Newtown Station, on Sunday with banners and fliers to protest the meeting.

Cycling Death Trap?

Industry body, the United Retail Federation has called on Sydney Lord Mayor  Clover Moore to release the details of future cycleway constructions and acknowledge their impacts on surrounding retailers and small businesses.

The federation’s National president Scott Driscoll said the cycleways were unsafe, labelling them “Clover Moore’s bike trail fantasy”.

“[Ms Moore’s] plan for a bicycle utopia has been a costly and unmitigated disaster so far that has done nothing for the people of Sydney apart from destroy businesses and jobs,” he said.

“Cyclists will tell you that much of the network is a death circuit and many retailers certainly know it has been a death warrant for their business.”

City suspends Laneway Grants program

City of Sydney Council has suspended its Laneway Grants scheme pending a full review into the program.

The decision was welcomed by  Greens Councillor Chris Harris who branded the program “corporate welfare”.

He is contradicted by entrepreneur Chris Lane who founded a small bar with his partner and the help of a council grant. He told City News in an earlier issue he thought the idea of the grants being corporate welfare was “a bit much”.

“We were two 25 year old guys when we first started … We took a risk as part of Council’s plans to revitalise the laneway [and] we put our money where our mouth was as well,” he says.

“So I certainly don’t think it’s a handout – it’s an encouragement [and] it’s an incentive … I think people … tend to get a bit pre-judgemental and start thinking well, bars make a lot of money … but it’s not always the case.”