"The ship of fools that is now the ACT government and its pretend planners have missed the point about the fundamentals that formed the thinking behind this city’s creation," writes "Canberra Matters" columnist PAUL COSTIGAN.
Paul Costigan
Paul Costigan is a commentator on cultural and urban matters. There are more of his columns at citynews.com.au
"One day there were trees, soon there were piles of stumps and trashed branches, then woodchip and before anyone had time to react, all was gone". Columnist PAUL COSTIGAN laments the sudden loss of 160 heritage trees at Albert Hall.
"Once people learnt of the reality of how the tram had been funded, there was a reduction in trust in both the Greens and Labor. People now know that they have been and continue to be scammed," writes columnist PAUL COSTIGAN.
"Honesty and respect for residents from within this ACT government remains wishful thinking. Is this what they call being progressive?" asks "Canberra Matters" columnist PAUL COSTIGAN.
"The message is that in the decades Before Barr the city planning chiefs were not capable of delivering a city with affordable housing, social housing and one that was diverse and interesting and functioned efficiently," says PAUL COSTIGAN.
"This is a council that has recognised the heritage of a main street, and has spent millions to deliver a much-enhanced version of the same – a great looking country town". "Canberra Matters" columnist PAUL COSTIGAN has been to Gundagai.
"The politics of planning in this city remains murky. This very unsavoury state of affairs is about to deliver (to quote the Liberals) a planning regime that will be 'anti-community and anti-environment'," writes columnist PAUL COSTIGAN.
Before you wonder what the image is about – it's a digitally altered photograph of the National Gallery. Columnist PAUL COSTIGAN uses it and unhappy memories to share a story about the gallery's cafe.
"This city in the landscape urgently requires a new form of leadership, being one with professional experience and expertise in landscapes, design and urban environment issues," writes "Canberra Matters" columnist PAUL COSTIGAN.
"In 1982, when the National Gallery’s building was completed and had been handed over to become operational, there was an open day for people to see what there was to see – that being lots of empty spaces," writes PAUL COSTIGAN.
"When the ACT’s sporting clubs set out to bring in the cash through profit-making developments, they happen. That’s how things are with the ACT Greenslabor government," writes "Canberra Matters columnist PAUL COSTIGAN.
"Canberra Matters" columnist PAUL COSTIGAN finds fewer of his "old friends" are hanging around the National Gallery these days.
