Maroubra Beach Flagged for Development?


Maroubra Beach Flagged for Development: 2nd September 2003


*The following is a public letter from myself, Greg Tingle, that I sent to Randwick Council, Randwick City Tourism and media outlets of Australia, and indeed the world.

My home suburb, Maroubra Beach, is going to the dogs. Council is attempting to tidy it up by the look of it, but its rather unsightly post code flag is not a welcome site. Have a read. If you have a story about councils spoiling your backyard, let me know, or better, tell the world!

Subject: Maroubra Beach - Postcode Flag!!! What is going on at Maroubra?! Attention: Michael Daley, Dominic Sullivan & Alan White Public Letter of complaint by Greg Tingle

Dear Sirs

I'm getting back in touch for a specific reason.

Can one of you adequately explain and document to me why in the heck has the council placed a flag with our suburbs post code, flying from a street light pole, on the top end of Maroubra Beach?

This is a case of visual pollution as far as I am concerned. Who consulted with the neighbor's? I think there is a moral obligation - oh, moral obligations and council don't always mix, forgive me! How about this line we hear from governments and councils "adequate community consultation" - my a*s.

What's next - parking meters!!! Oh, did you know that I saw a flame thrower aiming at the fuel tanks at cars in Maroubra Beach car park recently!!! Maybe next time they will hit a parking meter instead. If parking meters are on the agenda, they better be "Maroubra proof".

I note that council hasn't erected video surveillance or web cams at Lexington Place. They probably wouldn't last anyway.

Let me make a prediction - that flag of sorts won't last!

Take a look around Maroubra sometime and you will see graffiti like "locals only" and real estate signs knocked over (no, they didn't fall over). A number of months ago a fish in Maroubra was burnt out. The "Lexo Boys" basically own Lexington Place - LRA indeed. The shop keepers, predominately of Oriental descent probably wish they had never moved in. Maroubra Police can't adequacy control that problem, some 600 meters from Bob Carr's front door, but that's another problem. Oh, and Clive Small is on the way out.

Maroubra needed a bit of a tidy up, but flags displaying out post code - give me a friggin break. Perhaps the money could have been better spend some 400 meters north of the flag, and making plaque near that place the recent murder occurred?!

It is indeed another plight of so-called "revitalisation". Talk about a "spin" term. It is over development, and so is the destruction of the once glorious Maroubra Bay Hotel. Over 2000 locals documented that they didn't want to loose Maroubra Bay Hotel?

Why in the heck would anyone want Maroubra beach to go the way of Coogee, Bondi of Surfer's "Paradise" - oh, that's right - money.

At least Maroubra's rough edge should keep away some of the yuppies. We (the residents) don't want "outsiders".

Perhaps the 'Bra Boy said it best - "Locals Only".

Here's some articles and photos for your, and indeed the world's interest:

http://www.mediaman.com.au/releases/maroubra3.html
http://www.mediaman.com.au/releases/maroubra1.html
http://www.mediaman.com.au/articles/maroubra_crime_wave.html
http://www.mediaman.com.au/articles/maroubra_cafes.html

One of the great things about living in Australia is that government can do what they will, but that can't take away freedom of speech, and the media is now back in the hands of the people.

Council can erect "trinkets" and try to "gloss up" Maroubra, but they won't take away our community spirit, rough edge and "locals" only mentality.

If you want urban sprawl, inflated prices, road rage and the like, stick with Randwick and Coogee, and stay out of Maroubra.

If you want to find out what the people think of the way Australia is going, take a look at range of websites, such as Online Opinion, Crikey Media, and some web logs.

Long live freedom of speech and freedom of web. Get rid of that flag.

Long live the Maroubra Stomp!

Best Regards

Greg Tingle
Editor / Director / Broadcaster
Mediaman
e: greg@mediaman.com.au
w: http://www.mediaman.com.au

Editors Note: Guess what - approx. 1 day later the flag near my place was "mysteriously" gone. We still have on file the photo of the unsightly flag flying, should we be motivated enough to use it. Some of the 1035 flags continue to fly in the middle section of Maroubra Beach. Stand up for your rights citizens of Maroubra Beach, and everyone else, that has had enough of councils attempting to impose the over commercialization on the suburbs. Revitalization, my ass. Visual pollution and exploitation of some Sydney's once great suburbs is more accurate. Prediction: Maroubra residents will boycott the "redeveloped Maroubra Bay Hotel" if the project ever gets completed. What a dam mess.

*Originally published at Mediaman blogger

Links:

Maroubra Beach (Greg Tingle's website)

Randwick City Council

Randwick City Tourism

Corpwatch: Holding Corporations Accountable

Greenpeace Australia

Multiplex

Independent Commission Against Corruption

Profiles

Maroubra Beach

Maroubra Beach Hotel