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News.com.au
15-05-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
Council scraps plans for controversial 24/7 McDonald's in Redfern
Controversial plans for a 24-hour Maccas in the inner Sydney suburb of Redfern have been scrapped after uproar from local residents and police. The $3 million development plan for a two-storey resturant on Redfern's main dining and shopping strip, Redfern Street, was blocked in a unanimous vote by the local planning panel at a City of Sydney council meeting on Wednesday night. Police and local residents fought to stop the proposal warning it would lead to a spike in theft and violent crime at night, and be a step backwards for the suburb. Cheers erupted from the council chambers at the decision to ditch the plans which had been described by some locals as a 'fluorescent blight' and a 'poison and blemish on the map of Redfern'. A request by a McDonald's representative for a six-week extension to try and resolve locals' concerns was also denied during the meeting, with one panel member suggesting those attempts would be like putting 'lipstick on what the community submissions largely believe to be a pig'. There was mass opposition from the community with all but 17 of the 286 public submissions rejecting the proposal. One of those submissions was from Senior Constable Peter Langbein, who raised concerns that increased foot traffic as a result of the restaurant could contribute to robberies, violence and e-bike theft in its surrounds. 'Patrons leaving the premises during late hours are likely to engage in a range of behaviour, which need not rise to a level of criminality yet will adversely affect the neighbourhood, including talking amongst themselves, yelling, screaming and arguing,' he said. The local planning panel conceded that the development proposal 'has not adequately addressed crime prevention'. Prior to the proposal's rejection, a McDonald's spokesperson told that a new restaurant in Redfern 'would create more than 100 local jobs, create opportunities for community partnerships and sponsorships, and involve an investment of approximately $3 million.'
News.com.au
14-05-2025
- Climate
- News.com.au
‘Fun police': City of Sydney blames ‘climate change' for a ban on large events in public parks
A ban on large events in public parks in central Sydney has been extended indefinitely due to 'climate change' and in an effort to protect grass from damage. City of Sydney councillors voted on Monday to prevent music festivals, food markets and other major festivities from being approved, reaffirming a ban introduced in 2022. The measure has been slammed by event producers and business leaders as 'ridiculous' and the council, including its Lord Mayor Clover Moore, dubbed the 'fun police'. Council has blamed 'climate change' for 'accelerating severe weather events … [leading to] increased rainfall in the lead-up to and during outdoor commercial events'. The apparently more frequent wet weather would result in 'significant damage to large sections of the parks' in Sydney, it added. New South Wales Premier Chris Minns today described the climate change excuse as 'a massive stitch-up'. 'I think they should be fair dinkum about it,' Mr Minns said. 'If they don't want to have community festivals, just come out and say it.' The premier, whose first term has focused heavily on revitalising Sydney and supporting the night-time economy, criticised the ban, saying it reflected poorly on Sydney's status as a world city. 'We need to be sensible here,' Mr Minns said. 'We want to get vibrancy back into Sydney. We're a big, international city and we should be able to host big events in the CBD.' Moore has made 'a big mistake' Sydney's mayor has been a long-time advocate for creating new green spaces within the council area – and it's a move the State Government has supported in recent years. Mr Minns said that support has even seen him cop flack, particularly his backing of a plan to acquire half of Moore Park Golf Course and turn it into a park. 'By any objective measure, my government has made big efforts – major strides – to open up more open space in the CBD,' he said. 'We're not going to continue with those kinds of changes if, in the end, they're going to be locked up and sealed, and people will be stopped from accessing open space. That's exactly why we want more parks, so we can have more community festivals – not less.' The premier accused Ms Moore of ignoring the millions of people who live in communities surrounding Sydney's CBD and the countless others who visit each as tourists. 'Sydney is not just for the resident that live in Sydney. If you're going to be the mayor of that community, you have to think about the millions of [others]. It's a big responsibility. 'It can't just be for the few people who live around those parks.' Ms Moore had made 'a big mistake' in continuing the ban and refusing to budge on pleas to reconsider, he added. Mr Minns also bristled at revelations City of Sydney authorities were telling event organisers to go to State Government-controlled venues instead, like The Domain. 'That's not fair to us,' he said. 'It means you've got a larger number of people competing for a smaller area when we should be able to utilise other open parks in the CBD closer to the middle of downtown. I don't think this is reasonable. The decision needs to be reversed.' A city 'struggling with fun' Sydney has a notorious reputation for being anti-fun, with the city battling to boost its vibrancy credentials in recent years in the wake of nanny state rules and regulations, like the crippling nightclub lockout laws. The long-term impacts of the Covid pandemic, followed by cost-of-living pressures, have only made things worse, Business Sydney executive director Paul Nicolaou said. 'Banning or restricting events in our city's parks and public spaces is having significant implications for Sydney's cultural and economic landscape,' Mr Nicolaou said. 'Event organisers and industry advocates argue that such limitations stifle creativity and reduce opportunities for community engagement and economic activity that is desperately needed in our city.' The ban had created uncertainty in the events industry, he added, which underscored the need for a 'balanced approach' accommodating both vibrant cultural activities for the interests of locals. Mick Gibb, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, was scathing of Ms Moore's stance. 'The NSW Government has put the pedal to the metal revitalising the 24-hour economy, but sadly someone is trying to reach over and pull up the handbrake,' Mr Gibb said. 'If there's one thing Sydney is internationally renowned for it's the stunning outdoor environment. It's an own goal if we don't leverage that asset to create a vibrant 24-hour economy that creates jobs, opportunities and fun in our city.' Mr Minns agreed and urged Ms Moore to reverse the ban. 'Open spaces, night markets, noodle markets, places for the community to come together are exactly what big cities should be doing.' City of Sydney's ban was panned on Channel 9's Today show this morning, with correspondent Lara Vella saying there are many things the Harbour City does well. 'When it comes to fun and vibrancy, particularly outside of the summer months and after dark, that's something Sydney very much struggles with,' Vella said. 'This decision by the City of Sydney Council really isn't helping this.' Today host Karl Stefanovic labelled it ridiculous and declared: 'The people will rebel.' The original ban, introduced by Ms Moore, came about after the Night Noodle Market event in 2022 left swathes of Prince Alfred Park a muddy mess. Councillor Olly Arkins pushed for the ban to be lifted at Victoria Park to 'give people a reason to stay out [and] celebrate their neighbourhood'. 'I believe that if we want a vibrant, creative Sydney, we have to actually make space for it,' Cr Arkins said while moving a motion at Monday's meeting. 'This isn't about turning every patch of green space into a festival ground. But we should be able to say yes to some events. Right now, when someone wants to do an event in our city parks, staff are forced to say no.' Locals were missing out on opportunities to 'connect with others through music and creativity', Cr Arkins added. 'We talk a lot about a vibrant 24-hour city, but this is what it actually looks like in practice.' Despite the ban, there are a handful of exemptions, including for the annual Mardi Gras Fair Day and Indigenous cultural festival Yabun, held each year on what organisers dub 'Invasion Day'. Acclaimed chef Luke Mangan has been trying to establish a new Sydney Food Festival and told The Daily Telegraph the park ban was 'ludicrous'. 'A policy should be made so that people who want to revitalise the city can use council for their event, with the responsibility that they must leave it how they found it,' Mr Mangan told the newspaper. Council holds firm on ban The decision to extend the ban was in recognition of 'difficulties of hosting events in parks due to weather conditions, turf recovery and the closure of areas of parks due to the remediation', a City of Sydney spokesperson said. 'Council has requested staff consider the feasibility of using laneways and vacant building lots for live music and cultural events. 'Council currently facilitates and approves more than 200 events annually on its civic spaces and roadways, ranging from commemorations, charity events and community activations to commercial promotions, world running marathons and major festivals. 'We're continuing to review potential options that help balance activating the city and ensuring parks can be enjoyed year-round by the entire community. 'We need to get the balance right to ensure people have access to parks as well as the opportunity to experience outdoor shows and festivals.' Larger events are better-placed at State Government-controlled venues, the spokesperson added, citing The Domain and Centennial Park. 'These spaces also include hard surfaces for staging and access, which cause less turf disruption with vehicles bumping in and out.' Ms Moore would write to the State Government to urge those large spaces to be more available, the spokesperson added. 'If these spaces were more affordable, there would be more options for live music offerings without events and artists being liable for the cost of returfing or [for] limiting residential access to their local park.' Cr Arkins pointed out that those State Government-owned sites were built for scale. 'They're great for major concerts, but they're not always accessible, or even appropriate, for smaller, community-driven events. That's where I believe the city should be stepping up.' Council's mega parks spend While it might be anti-event when it comes to parks, City of Sydney Council is pouring millions of dollars a year into maintaining green spaces across its jurisdiction. In the next financial year, it will spend $68 million on public infrastructure, including parks. Also allocated in the council's budget is $11.4 million to add 6300 square metres of space to Gunyama Park, including a First Nations learning circle, playground, skate park and picnic seating. Over the next decade, it will invest a whopping $2.7 billion in increasing open space and investing in community infrastructure and urban transformation. It includes the development of Town Hall Square, a new civic plaza in the heart of the CBD, requiring the demolition of a number of ageing commercial buildings, which would force the closure of a popular Woolworths supermarket. 'Over the long term, we'll continue to work closely with residents, businesses and government partners on shaping a city that thrives,' Ms Moore said of the budget plan.
The Guardian
14-05-2025
- The Guardian
Sydney council blocks plan for Redfern McDonald's over crime fears
A proposal to open a 24-hour McDonald's in the inner Sydney suburb of Redfern has been rejected by the council's independent planning tribunal after opposition from police and community members. Residents applauded after the local planning panel voted unanimously at a City of Sydney meeting on Monday night to block the $3m transformation of 153 Redfern Street into a 24/7 McDonald's restaurant. The fast food company's request for more time to address community concerns was also rejected, with one member of the panel suggesting a deferral would be akin to putting 'lipstick on what the community submissions largely believe to be a pig'. The development application was referred to the planning panel after the council received 269 objections and two petitions garnering 1,123 signatures against the development, and only 17 supportive submissions. The site, on the corner of Redfern and Regent streets and occupied by a tobacconist and a linen shop, would have been turned into a two-storey, 12-seater 'takeaway food and drink premises' with the familiar glowing red and yellow signage. Local police were against the proposal. Contacted by Guardian Australia on Wednesday, the force referred to the concerns it had raised in its submission to the council opposing the McDonald's. Snr Const Peter Langbein wrote in his submission that the area was 'an already identified hotspot for crime' with 'trending issues' including bike theft, other robberies and malicious damage. He also referenced 28 reported non-domestic violence assaults that he said had been reported within the past 12 months in the area and suggested the location's close proximity to Redfern train station made it 'accessible for criminal behaviour'. Police were concerned about noise and the potential for antisocial behaviour from people moving to or from other late-night premises. Submissions from the community also raised concerns that McDonald's typically 'junior staff' would be ill-equipped to deal with such behaviour. The City of Sydney's local planning panel agreed the proposal 'has not adequately addressed crime prevention'. In its submission, Transport for NSW called on the council to acknowledge the lack of bicycle parking facilities and off-street loading zones near the site. Other residents said they were concerned about 'how the sudden influx of delivery drivers will be accommodated' and that a McDonald's would be to the detriment of Redfern's 'character'. While the proposal complied with local environmental planning (LEP) height and floor space ratios, it does not align with standards for 'heritage conservations' and 'design excellence', which require 'respect' for the original building's form. The council's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander advisory panel also raised concerns including that there had been 'no consultation with the Aboriginal community'. The panel said the Mcdonald's would undermine efforts to improve health outcomes in the community, especially given the location's proximity to key ammenities such as the Aboriginal Medical Service. Associate Prof Stephanie Partridge, from the University of Sydney's faculty of medicine and health, said the proposed McDonald's was 'really concerning' because it 'it doesn't really put the community's needs first'. In 2020, Partridge surveyed 233 Sydney suburbs with high proportions of young people – including Redfern – which found McDonald's was the most common takeaway franchise on Uber Eats and that wealthier areas had more access to healthy food. 'Forty per cent of a young person's daily energy intake is already from unhealthy foods – if this is the most accessible and affordable, that's of course what they are going to reach for,' she said. 'Local councils and government really need to start thinking about how people access healthy and affordable foods more seriously.' Before the planning panel rejected the proposal, McDonald's Australia said the company saw 'strong potential in Redfern' and the company would engage 'openly' with the community over the coming weeks. McDonald's said if its development were approved it would create more than 100 local jobs and opportunities for community partnerships and sponsorships.
News.com.au
13-05-2025
- News.com.au
‘Fluorescent blight': Cops join bid to stop McDonald's opening in Redfern
Police have joined residents in their fight to stop a McDonald's from opening in the heart of a historic inner Sydney suburb, warning it will lead to a spike in theft and violent crime after dark. A $3 million development plan for a new two-storey Macca's on Redfern's main dining and shopping strip, Redfern Street, has been lodged with City of Sydney council. The site, currently occupied by a tobacconist and linen shop, hugs the corner of Redfern and Regent Streets. The proposal has already sparked widespread outcry from the community, who have labelled it a 'fluorescent blight' and a 'poison and blemish on the map of Redfern', while business owners told earlier this year it would be 'a step backwards' for the suburb. In a new submission to City of Sydney council's independent planning panel, Senior Constable Peter Langbein raised fresh concerns that increased foot traffic as a result of the restaurant could contribute to robberies, violence and e-bike theft in its surrounds. 'Patrons leaving the premises during late hours are likely to engage in a range of behaviour, which need not rise to a level of criminality yet will adversely affect the neighbourhood, including talking amongst themselves, yelling, screaming and arguing,' he said. Objectors to the plan – of which there were 269 submitted to council, versus 17 in support – many also took issue with the McDonald's proximity to Indigenous community services. Redfern was the birthplace of the Aboriginal civil rights movement in the 1970s. Chair of the Aboriginal Housing Company, Alisi Tutuila, said it would undermine work done by groups to make the suburb safe at night, while the council's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Panel said the fast-food giant would 'encourage unhealthy dietary habits' and 'exacerbate existing health disparities'. In a statement to a McDonald's spokesperson said it welcomes 'feedback from Council and the community and will be engaging openly with stakeholders and community members over the coming weeks to understand and address any concerns'. 'For more than 50 years, Macca's has been a proud member of Australian communities providing hundreds of local jobs and supporting local community groups,' the spokesperson said. 'We are always looking for opportunities to better serve our customers and communities and see strong potential in Redfern. 'If approved, the proposed McDonald's in Redfern would create more than 100 local jobs, create opportunities for community partnerships and sponsorships, and involve an investment of approximately $3 million.' David Jank co-owns a local bar – Arcadia Liquors – which sits just two doors down from the proposed site and voiced serious concerns about the plan. Speaking to in January, Mr Jank said the new franchise would be an 'enormous change' and said the move would be 'insensitive'. 'I've owned the bar 12 years, I know a lot of social problems that are in existence in the area,' he said. 'I just can't see any positivity to it whatsoever.' Licensee of Redfern pub, the Tudor Hotel, Gabriel, also said he understood the community's concern. 'The last few years Redfern has been changing for the positive. I think this is a step backwards,' he said. Beloved Redfern figure Joe Ambour – whose hardware store Ambour Hardware has been open 55 years – said the area has become unrecognisable in recent years with the new McDonald's a sign of the times. 'People don't want the customer service anymore,' he said. 'They just want what is cheap. They will google whatever is the cheapest and just go there.' He said that the McDonald's would make little difference to Redfern's shopping village. 'There is already kebab shops and a Dominos.' City of Sydney Council is expected to recommend the proposal be refused at a planning panel meeting on Wednesday.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Driver's 'dishonest and selfish' act on Aussie road sparks council investigation
The divisive move has highlighted an all too common problem on Australia's roads . A bollard appearing to reserve a parking space in front of a row of houses in Sydney has sparked anger Source: Reddit/WagsPup Anyone who drives through one of Australia's major cities will know how difficult finding somewhere to park can be — especially for local residents. While it's tempting to flout the road rules simply to find somewhere to stop, one Aussie driver has been blasted for appearing to reserve a space on a popular stretch of road just minutes from the Sydney CBD. An image taken on Forbes Street in the busy inner-city suburb of Darlinghurst, on Wednesday, shows an orange bollard placed in the middle of a parking space on the street outside a row of terraced homes. The angry resident who snapped the scene told Yahoo News the move was "dishonest, arrogant, entitled and selfish" and questioned how such an act is even allowed. ADVERTISEMENT "I'm a local resident that has to deal with similar parking challenges," they explained, adding that it "doesn't mean you do a con job to benefit yourself." Parking in the area is restricted to residents with permits and visitors who can stay for just one hour. Council investigates 'dishonest' parking move A City of Sydney spokesperson confirmed council has launched an investigation after being contacted by Yahoo. "Reserving parking spaces, or placing items on a roadway to reserve a space, is not permitted within the City of Sydney for private parking purposes," the spokesperson said. Those wishing to reserve a space for construction, events, or film shoots must apply to the City of Sydney. The spokesperson encouraged the public to contact council. "We have not received any recent complaints about the use of a parking space on that part of Forbes Street. We will now investigate the matter," the spokesperson said. Drivers called out a resident for reserving limited street parking with orange traffic cones in Leichhardt, located in Sydney's inner west Source: Facebook Have you witnessed a frustrating parking scene outside your home? Contact News Editor Courtney Greatrex at Aussies' extreme measures to secure parking spaces It's not the first time that extreme measures have been taken to secure an inner-city parking space. Last year, one driver infuriated locals by allegedly reserving a space near their home for "months" with the use of orange traffic cones. ADVERTISEMENT Another Melbourne resident exposed a dodgy tactic by her neighbour, who was asked her to move her car before blocking off the area with traffic cones. Frustratingly, her Jeep Patriot is too big to fit in the garage under her apartment complex, meaning street parking is her only option. 'There is limited parking as it is,' Melbourne woman Parker told Yahoo News Australia. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
