Russell Vale mine closure could leave taxpayers with multimillion dollar bill
Wollongong Greens councillor Cath Blakey said there was a "big risk" that the community would have to pay for the eventual remediation of Russell Vale mine.
Story by Connor Pearce in the Illawarra Mercury, 9 February 2024.
We stand with you: Wollongong council's message to Palestine war victims
Wollongong councillors have voted to stand with the victims of the war in Palestine.
Greens councillor Cath Blakey brought a motion before Wollongong City Council calling on councillors to reiterate the city's "commitment to the human rights of all people to live with freedom, safety and self-determination".
Cr Blakey also wanted council to acknowledge "the anguish and pain that the war in Palestine and Israel is causing to many people in the Wollongong community".
"I'd like to see this city join the diplomatic chorus for a ceasefire, oppose the killing and collective punishment of civilians and also join the chorus to release hostages and political prisoners and support that diverse community we have here in Wollongong," Cr Blakey said.
"This council was also addressed by community members last meeting with a compelling request that council request the federal government to vote for a ceasefire," Cr Blakey said. "Over the last nine weeks the Wollongong community has been rocked by the attacks by Hamas and the Israel Defence Force on civilians since the seventh of October.
"In Wollongong there have been nine weeks of actions ranging from prayer sessions, weekly protest rallies and marches [and] student strikes. These community events have included a wide range of participants with Palestinian and Arabic voices combined with Israeli and Jewish voices."
Cr Blakey's vote was passed unanimously.
Story by Glen Humphries in the Illawarra Mercury, 11 December 2023.
Port Kembla tree vandalism spree sparks urgent calls for stronger penalties
Wollongong Greens Councillor Cath Blakey agreed with Ms Whittaker it was a "selfish act", and suggested more "creative means" could be used in the area to deter vandals.
"Like we saw with the Belmore Basin billboard of community artworks and photos of the tea trees, the Brighton Le Sands containers decorated in murals of native plants and wildlife, or the Noosa's billboards which have an image of a beautiful Rainbow Bee-eater alongside the words 'who destroyed my home'," Cr Blakey told the Mercury.
"These billboards and containers are large and onsite while newly planted trees regrow. There is also an opportunity for community education and artistic celebration of our native plants and wildlife."
Story by Desiree Savage in the Illawarra Mercury, 14 November 2023.
Decriminalize bike riding on footpaths
Wollongong council to push for bikes to be allowed on footpaths and buses
Greens councillor Cath Blakey, said the changes would help get more people using bikes and were supported by the city's adopted cycling strategy.
Cr Blakey said she was in favour of all ages being able to ride on footpaths as it would especially allow more young people and women to feel safe while riding in busy areas without shared paths or cycling infrastructure. She said cyclists were allowed on footpaths in most states and territories, with NSW and Victoria the only two to outlaw riding on footpaths as a rule.
"I recognise some people are concerned about risks to pedestrians, and it is really important to give way to pedestrians, but this is mostly about formalising what already happens when people feel unsafe riding on the road anyway," she said.
"The problem with the rules now, is that police can apply them with discretion, which leads to some people being targeted and fined, while others are left alone."
She said allowing cyclists to ride of the footpath was just one of the improvements needed to encourage cycling, and needed to be combined with investment in dedicated cycling infrastructure.
"Personally, I don't actually like riding on the footpath - because you have to contend with driveways and other infrastructure - but there are some places you just don't feel safe riding on the road," she said. "This is not a perfect situation, and if we could retrofit cycleways on every single street I'd love to do that, but there's budget constraints and we can't change it overnight - so if we want people riding bikes now we need to change the rule."
Bike racks on buses makes public transport more viable: Cr Blakey said allowing bikes to be carried on buses would make public transport more viable for many people in Wollongong.
"I've ridden to work and then in the afternoon it's raining and you then have to leave your bike at work - so being able to have those mixed modes where you can put a bike on a train or on a bus would be really helpful," she said.
"In Wollongong, we've got lots of suburbs that are really hilly, so we can cycle down them but not necessarily back up - so having bike racks on buses would be great. "It would open up the catchment of people that are likely to catch the bus, because you can go so much further on a bike than you can walking, so there would be more people being able to get to the bus stop." She said bike racks could be installed as the bus fleet was upgraded, and would be able to be used on a first come, first served basis.
Story by Kate McIlwain at the Illawarra Mercury, 6 November 2023.
Illawarra environmental groups back offshore wind plans
Greens Councillors Mithra Cox and Cath Blakey joined local environmental groups to support the designation of an Illawarra offshore wind power area.
Story by Connor Pearce in the Illawarra Mercury, September 24 2023.
Sharks nets kill other species and don't stop sharks - but they're back this summer
Giving all swimmers a free shark repellent wetsuit would be more effective against shark attacks than the nets about to be installed again off Wollongong beaches, Councillor Cath Blakey said.
Wollongong Greens councillor Cath Blakey said there were several alternatives to help protect swimmers that had been proven to be more effective and less deadly. These include tagged shark listening stations and drone surveillance.
"It would be far more effective for the NSW government gave any resident that wanted one a Shark Stop wetsuit, than deploy the shark nets which kill dolphins, turtles and rays and give a false sense of security," she said.
"There has also been shark smart training and accreditation of the regional drone fleet at Coledale and Stanwell Park (Surf Life Saving Clubs)."
"Plus there have also been other suggestions like the WA rebate for personal shark deterrent devices - electrical, magnetic and audio devices showing some benefit, but no guarantee."
Story by Ben Langford in the Illawarra Mercury, 22 August 2023.
Primbee copper slag dump has its 'zombie licence' revoked by EPA
The company which sparked a furore at the old copper slag dump at Primbee is having its licence revoked, the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) said.
The Environment Protection Authority has moved to revoke Mimosa's pollution licence, saying it is not longer needed for the activities covered.
"The EPA wrote to the licensee to prepare and submit a scoping report to describe the activities to be undertaken at the premises and the proposed future use of the site," its notice states.
"The scoping report [submitted] proposed a number of activities for the premises including, but not limited to, the use of virgin excavated natural material to cover areas of exposed copper slag, and the proposed emplacement of alternative wastes not permitted to be received at the premises."
In January Wollongong Greens councillor Cath Blakey said the pollution licence shouldn't be able to hang around "like a zombie".
Story by Ben Langford in the Illawarra Mercury, 17 August 2023.
(Previously: Wollongong toxic waste site cleared prompting pollution fears for nearby homes, public wetland)
Media Release: South Coast call for secure bike sheds at train stations after resident has 7 bikes stolen
Media Release
31 July 2023
South Coast call for secure bike sheds at train stations after resident has 7 bikes stolen
Fairy Meadow resident Phil Balding has expressed despair and frustration after having 7 around the illawarra, with 3 incidents of stolen parts.
Mr Balding said
“Riding my bike used to be a quick way to get to the train station for the commute to Sydney, but after having 7 bikes stolen, I’ve given up riding. I've tried using 2 d-locks, handlebar brake locks, Disc-brake locks, anti-theft skewers and an AirTag tracker, but still my bike would be stripped of parts or be stolen. By registering my bike on the Property Vault, and using the AirTag tracker the police were able to get a warrant to seize my bike, and I got it back. I want a Transport for NSW bike shed at the station to keep my bike safer from theft.”
“The car parking spaces at North Wollongong train station including street is full by 7:15am some mornings for the Sydney commute. Surely if there was somewhere more secure to lock up bikes there would be commuters that would ride instead of driving”.
Cr Blakey, who has a notice of motion on bike parking security for Monday night’s council meeting said:
“Council transport staff are currently developing an integrated cycling strategy, and it’s important that it includes advocacy for bike sheds at train stations so that residents can ride to the train station, and be confident that there bike will be there after a day at work for their return trip home.”
“Riding to the station is quicker and easy to go further than walking, and less space-intensive than car-parking. As e-bikes have grown in popularity, increasing the ease of riding for residents with escarpment foothills to navigate, the attractiveness to theft has also increased. We desperately need more secure ways to park bikes at the train station.”
“Since 2016 there have been 36 bike sheds installed across the City Rail network, but none in the Illawarra. I’m calling on the state government to make the Wollongong local government area the next location for a bike shed.”
“Bike theft is a rife in Wollongong, and a serious barrier to riding to the station, the shops, work or school – or anything other than recreation. PropertyVault is a partnership between Crime Stoppers, the Police, bike owners and the wider community – to expose and defeat the illicit trade in stolen bikes. If someone sees a bike for sale, they can check if it’s been stolen, removing pathways to profit from stolen bikes.”
END MEDIA RELEASE
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Wollongong Greens Councillor pushes for secure bike sheds at train stations
Wollongong City councillor Cath Blakey has a motion at Monday night's council meeting to write to Transport for NSW requesting secure bike sheds at Illawarra stations. The priority stations would be North Wollongong, Wollongong, Thirroul and Dapto.
Cr Blakey said a lack of secure places to leave a bike discourages people from using them.
"I've done it myself - I avoid riding to the station unless I take my bike on the train with me," Cr Blakey said.
"But I know people complain about that sometimes because our trains aren't really designed to have lots of bikes on them. You can block access to the stairs and the exit. I've seen people abuse cyclists for it but when there's no safe place to leave your bike that is the problem. It's a real barrier for people to ride to the station. A secure bike shed would be quite a cheap and really effective way to improve integrated transport."
Story by Glen Humphries in the Illawarra Mercury, 28 July 2023.
What does the federal government's new Defence Strategic Review mean for Australia and the Illawarra? Win News
Romy Gilbert from WIN News covered the briefing at Wollongong Council, and the WAWAN - Wollongong Against War and Nukes community meeting ahead of the May 6 - Port Kembla: March Against the Nuclear Base.
Councillor Cath Blakey said:
"I think it's incredibly alarming. It's like it's implied that this is what Wollongong is in for, that the Federal Government is working towards nuclear submarines here in Port Kembla."
"They've talked about consultation and this feels like it's the kicking off of that consultation."
"I want to see Port Kembla ruled out as the site for nuclear submarines, but I also want to see talk of diplomacy."