Their Way Is Only the Highway Traffic in Sydney is bad, and anyone can see it. But Liberal promises to fix it rely on more and bigger highways from the west into the CBD. Problem is, that isn’t the problem. The current project underway, Westconnex, aims to expand and extend the M4 and M5, but in the end dump the increased volume of traffic into the inner west, along already the already highly congested King Street and Parramatta Road. Worse, this project will use “spaghetti junctions” at these interchange points, and the junction at St Peters will take up newly transformed green space, the only parkland of any significant size for kilometres. In addition, many kilometres of tunnels will be required, not a bad thing in themselves, but you have to consider the 35-metre tall exhaust stacks, concentrating particulate pollution and sending it out and across the city. The planning for Westconnex, a pet project of current NSW Premier Mike Baird, but supported by NSW Labor as well as the Federal Liberal and Labor parties, actually shows the project won’t achieve its stated goals. The new roads will reach capacity within eight years and the overall reduction of time spent in traffic will be a grand total of five minutes. The Liberal government in Canberra, under former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, stated that public transport was not an option at all anywhere ever. This policy continues under Malcolm Turnbull. Labor’s official position is also in support of Westconnex, even though they have the example of Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, who canned the East-West link the previous government had planned, so that better mass transit could be implemented instead, even in the face of the Abbott government withdrawing co-funding. Mass transit won’t be improved by Westconnex. It will be the same limited trains and busses serving the same routes – and at the same volume and level of service. But new rail links, service improvements, better capacity, would improve traffic congestion, and air quality, along with emissions reductions. Bigger transport projects, such as the long-proposed and postponed heavy rail link from Brisbane through Sydney to Melbourne, would do their part, removing freight by trucking. But we get no traction. Urban planning is hard, but there are lots of examples of getting it right, all around the world. A new tram service, currently under construction in Sydney, will link the Eastern Suburbs with the CBD; and the existing lightrail, extended out to Haberfield, has already achieved its utilisation goals, despite naysaying from the state government. London has more bicycle usage, and bike-share projects are popping up all over, opening city centres in ways not seen in decades. We don’t need Robert Moses-style projects, projects designed to destroy neighbourhoods. No Westconnex!

Form Bad to Wurst The last thing the Sydney Morning Herald needs is cuts to editorial positions. Some of the worst typos, twisted syntax, and just bad writing you'll ever see in a major metropolitan newspaper, and that's leaving aside the extraordinary focus on misleading click-bait headlines, cutting editorial staff can only make things worse. At this rate I'll have to go to Murdoch's Newscorp (which will surely give me apoplexy). I've said it for years: the Herald's new stories read like bad sports writing, and their sports writing is nearly unintelligible. If anything they need more editorial staff, not fewer. The death of print media continues apace.

Theatre Weekend For the Sydney Festival and our month-without-a-free-weekend, we started at Carriageworks, to see the production of Woyzeck, based on a Robert Wilson collaboration with Tom Waits. For German Expressionism, Waits made a great fit, but how much of the original 1823 play remains is highly questionable, aside from the plot overall. Nevertheless, it made a very enjoyable piece of theatre, especially the set, which consisted mainly of a stage-sized grid of net, raised and lowered at various angles, and through which the cast played their scenes. We followed this on Sunday with a revival of Fase, a set of four dances to Steve Reich's music, by Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker, which she performed herself, with Tale Dolven. Reich's music might be described as mathematical, in its cycling through repetitions, with different streams eventually coallesceing, and de Keermaeker's coreography matching it, without describing it. The interplay of the dancers and their shadows added an element of complexity to help in matching the music and movement. We've got Festival performances - one of music by Bach and one of Beethoven - plus a music festival at St John's College, "So Frenchy So Chic", and an Open Air Cinema screening of Youth, by the director of one of my recent favorite films (The Great Beauty). This will leave us with very little time to get any substantial bushwalking done prior to our NZ trip in February, but it will all be worth it.

Happy New Year (Eve, technically, as this is from the 9pm show.)

The Need for Speed A whole minute faster than two years ago's City Mile Dash? That's what it says. Makes my whole weekend.

City2Surf 2015 4 minutes slower than last year, but I'll take it.

Weekending So this weekend was, effectively, the end of the Vivid Festival, in Sydney, and although we didn't get out to see the lights, per se, I took advantage to follow up on a birthday present of two years ago, to engage in a little photographic instruction, from Photo Workshop Australia, in shooting at night. Vivid was a great opportunity to pick up a few techniques, although the course wasn't so much in the hows and whys as it was just about getting good shots. Some of which, I think, did indeed turn out o.k. Unfortunately, I didn't think to enroll B. in the course, which I'm sure she'd have enjoyed, but we headed up to the Blue Mountains on Saturday to have a weekend away in the start of the cold. We ended up in Mount Victoria, a bit further on than we usually go, due to booking late for the holiday weekend, but also to have a go at some of the bushwalks we hadn't previously attempted, down the other side of the ridge. We hardly saw anyone else, something very unusual up there, and that was an added attraction. The walks weren't hard, but they weren't all that easy, either, if maybe a little shorter than we sometimes attempt. Very nice scenery, too, including a "bush ranger's cave", a cleft of some considerable depth and notable dryness, from back in the day. Later, Mount Wilson offered a bit of cascades.

RIP Astrid Spielman was one of my first Australian friends, and I met her long before I moved to Sydney. Of all the Australians I met in that now brief period of 2000-2002, I think she was the one who really “got” the transition, for myself, and my ex, but could accept it in a way that not a few in the US could, and that was because of her vision and status as an artist. Astrid had been a rocker with Particles, a Sydney punk/post-punk band of the early ‘80’s., and the Yokos - great band name – before moving on to become an artist in the area of photography and video. But she was primarily, to me, a friend, and a challenging one, not content to let intellectual slackness slip by. Astrid had a burst aneurysm recently. The treatment was working, to the extent that it could, but a follow-on stroke took her just days ago. I have had, during this period, occasions to think of Astrid and to hope for the best .and now, in some small, clichéd regard, that’s where we are. I know I haven’t made the effort myself to maintain that friendship, which is a common failing for me, but I held it close in my heart nevertheless, and I will miss Astrid, with love always.

Rules of the Road The first rule of cycling in the city: they don't see you. Melbourne is a cycling-intensive city, more so than Sydney, but both cities haven't got the infrastructure or the culture to keep their cyclists safe. What that means is that it's up to the cyclists, so today's rally is important. I commend Sydney's mayor, Clover Moore, for her efforts to establish bicycle lanes, and condemn both Labor and Liberal state governments for their efforts to rid themselves of both her and cycleways. Cities are not for cars, they're for people. That has to be balanced. And bicycles are better for the environment than cars. It isn't just about how many cars can be funneled into the CBD, but that seems to be the motivation of most of our politicians, and, unfortunately, the short-sighted, narrow-minded perspective of many citizens. This, too, is part of how someone can be killed riding a bike, and it needs to change.

Boxing Day There are two Australian traditional events the day after Christmas: cricket and the start of the Sydney-to-Hobart yacht race. This year I went out to Watsons Bay, by South Head and the Gap, to watch the start. The line forms just past Shark Island by Rose Bay, and crowds line the harbour and the view points out to sea, at every vantage point along the way. Boats of all sizes and types also pour into the harbour to view the start and to accompany the racers, past the heads if they're suitable to the open ocean, but generally staying out of the way. Lots of helicopters, too, and one blimp, the latter a somewhat unusual sight. The Americans have a boat in the race, too, a super-maxi called Commanche, and it's apparently had a credible start. Next year perhaps I'll see about going to see some cricket, if there's any in town. I think the Boxing Day test is in Melbourne.

October Showers Bring November Flowers Doesn't have quite the same ring to it. But as we head rapidly into summer, for now, the Jacaranda trees are in bloom, spreading purple joy and a carpet of petals as the head towards leaf. This is the "philosopher's tree" in the Sydney University quad, a very popular tourism location these days.

They Stand Above the Rest Rabbitohs vindicate their fans' faith, over 43 years, and the 2000-2001 fight for reinstatement to the competition, with a decisive win over the Canterbury Bulldogs. Glory, Souths, indeed, a magnificent effort. Valiant Sam Burgess will go down in the annals for his determination and courage. Lote Tuqiri will the grandest "old man" of Rugby League for years to come. Greg Inglis has his first "legitimate" premiership and it couldn't happen to a better player ever. Chris McQueen stepped in at just the right moment to make a terrific difference. Adam Reynolds is a champion beyond price. John Sutton captained the team through a tough season and a convincing win, 30-6. We all wish David Tyrrell a swift recovery and most welcome return in 2015. Sad to see Sam Burgess off to Union in the UK, but wishing him all the very best success regardless and sending him with our thanks for his years of service, along with his brothers, whom we hope to retain, George, Luke, and Thomas, all bringing us to this fantastic result. Sad also to see retire Nathan Merritt, one of the most exciting players in the game, but wishing him great good fortune in the future, whatever next path he takes. Everyone contributed, everyone deserves praise and thanks, tonight and across the season and the years that have led to this. Glorious, and privileged to have been there.

Fishing Out for whale-watching season to the Botany cliffs, where we saw no whales. Too choppy. Just when you'd think "thar!" there was none. Or maybe, but probably just spray, not spume. Still pretty. And still a working port.

Mountains Up to the Blue Mountains for a weekend get-away. Very brief. Stayed at the old Carrington, ate at Leura Garage and Niagara Cafe, walked along Evan's Lookout to Govett's Leap, with not much view due to the dense cloud cover. It was like walking in front of a blank movie screen sometimes.

Whistle Stop Yesterday we headed out early for a bushwalk, from Taronga Zoo to Balmoral, along the harbour foreshore. We had only just started, really, when, upon reaching Bradley's Head, where the HMAS Sydney memorial is, we ran across a small group of metalworkers, promoting a worldwide event, that started long ago in Germany: Spengler mit Pfiff. The story goes that there was a tinsmith who wanted to promote his business, so he made up hundreds of whistles, bending strips of tin and wrapping them around one another, embossed his business name on them, then went around town handing them out to children. Seems to have worked, as 5 April is now Spengler mit Pfiff day, effectively, and in 80 cities around the world yesterday, metal workers associated with the original business in one way or another, and seeking to promote their trade as something for young people to pursue, set out to make 20,000 whistles. They made over 50,000. The group we met, on our return trip, about an hour later, had made over 500. B. & I each made one, a simple process, where you wrap one end around a metal rod, bend back the rest of the strip, clip the ends, wrap another strip around it, and holding the rounded ends shut, blow, for a high, piercing note. Keeping the gap between the rounded end and the flat strip narrower or wider will alter the tone. Excelsior, Spengler mit Pfiff! I'm keeping my eye out for next year.

Rolling Clover From day one in Sydney I have witnessed the attempts by both sides of politics to rid themselves of their troublesome colleague, Clover Moore. They have forced her out of State Parliament, they have changed the City of Sydney Council to alter the voting base, they exaggerate and obfuscate. Whatever it takes. Now they are proposing to change the voting laws to require absentee business owners and landlords to vote, with the idea that they will swing the balance against her. Sure, because they'll have a two-votes-to-one advantage over residents. Yes, if you run a business or rent out commercial or residential space in Sydney you get two votes, whether you live in the city or not. This is anti-democratic. Corporations are not people, my friends, and they are not worth two of you. The problem we face is that Labor, now in opposition, hates Clover as much as the Liberals do, and the Greens would be more than happy to see her go, especially if it meant a chance for them to dominate the Council. Will all hands turned against her, the only hope for Clover, and for a progressive government in Sydney, is to fight this proposal, tooth and nail, and for even those who oppose green energy, bike lanes, and whatever lies her opposition trots out, to vote her back. We want government of the people, by the people, for the people, and this ain't that.

The Poor You Will Have with You Always (but not when you can make a buck off them) The decision by the current NSW government to sell the public housing in the Rocks and Millers Point isn't just heartless, it's corrupt. With the development of the former shipping wharves into a high-profile high-price precinct, complete with a high-rollers casino, was bad enough, bypassing normal planning reviews to largely benefit a single enormously wealthy man, but to now divest the poor of their homes to capitalize on the increased property values shows just how far the Liberal Party is willing to go to line their pockets and those of their wealthy patrons (read: masters). Community Services Minister Pru Goward says AUD$7 million has been spent on the public housing stock to be sold over the last two years and that this money could have been used to build more housing or conduct maintenance elsewhere in the State. I would suggest that the money has been badly managed in the first place, and in the second, spending $7 million on housing for the poor in the city is not "better spent" elsewhere - the poor deserve our compassion and our government's money. It's one of the things we pay our taxes for. 300 properties to be sold for upwards of 1.3 million apiece is certainly a lot of money, but it's a one-off. Less than half-a-billion dollars isn't going to get this government very far, not when it's committing itself to spending billions on unnecessary tunnels and freeways. The poor can't live in the street, but this heartless mob will have them there if they can. There just isn't time enough to get the ICAC onto this lot. (Link fixed.)

Keep Movin’ Movin’ Movin’ There has been years of talk of adding a second airport to Sydney and rarely any discussion of why it’s necessary. We’re not London or New York, after all, with millions upon millions of our own moving in and out; we’re mainly talking about international arrivals. So it’s good when someone raises the issue and asks: what will we do until then? Unfortunately the answer appears to be increase the number of planes coming through. While I agree that if capacity is the issue, it will be years before a second airport can serve it. But the experience I’ve had shows the problem not to be the carrying capacity of the airport in regard to takeoffs and landings but in moving people to and from the planes. Taxi queues are a trial at the domestic terminal, evidence it was designed with a different throughput methodology in mind, but one that no longer serves, if it ever did. People don’t want to park at the airport. It’s expensive, it can mean the family car is taken out of use, and the traffic getting in and out doesn’t help. People don’t want to do private drop-offs and pick-up, although they do, because of the traffic and the limitations on the design, which privileges long-term parking. Taxis are feral. The international terminal is not bad for taxis, although you’ll spend half the fare into the city just exiting the airport. There is a train, and it’s quick and relatively cheap, so long as you’re travelling alone and with minimal baggage. Once you add another passenger travelling with you, the fare has now gone up to be equivalent to a taxi, which latter has the obvious benefit of not having to lug your bags around. If you drive you are probably not going to miss your flight, but you will have to leave earlier and wait longer, especially along the various bottlenecks on the roads serving the airport, not least being within the last kilometre of the trip. You’ll eventually get into town for your meeting, too, but you’ll face the same bottlenecks, and more, in reverse, especially if you need to cross the CBD to get to your destination. Frankly, the roads that disgorge the daily commuters into the city aren’t up to it as it is, let alone with the addition of airport traffic. Adding additional flights to the mix is going to increase the numbers coming and going and exacerbate an already frustrating situation. And I haven’t even mentioned the curfew. Add changes here and the numbers are that much more and increase local community frustration. So let’s do something about the mass transit. Let’s make it easier to get to the airport from the scattered suburbs and give passengers a way to arrive in Sydney that doesn’t leave them queued up for hundreds of meters and as many minutes. Terminal infrastructure will have to be improved, too. If we’re going to screen people as extensively as America’s War on Terror ™ requires, we’re going to have to admit to it and have the capacity. It will be painful, but that can be mitigated. Possibly the Richmond RAAF base or other regional airport facilities could be brought into play, at least for some portion of domestic services. A new airport is inevitable, and I accept the need. We need to prove we can execute the supporting infrastructure before we start building it.

Sydney’s Gatwick There’s a long-standing call for Sydney to have a second airport. The traffic through the existing airport is stalled by capacity and by the curfew. Eliminating the curfew is one option, but the position of the airport means a lot of people would be seriously inconvenienced by the late-night noise, so it’s unlikely to pass the palatability test among the political set. There’s also, however, another issue, one that isn’t addressed by any of the proposals for a second airport: the capacity to funnel those travellers into the city. All those additional cabs and private cars aren’t going to do much for any of the motorways in existence, already carrying more traffic than they were designed for, and then what are you going to do once you hit the actual city limits? As it is, four-lane traffic reduced to two lanes at the margins causes considerable pain. The single train servicing the existing airport is inadequate, as is the rest of Sydney’s commuter rail, so don’t expect that to get better anytime soon. Successive governments have failed to address the issues other than by redefining what constitutes “late” or reducing service. Imagine what building an airport further out would entail, and what that rail system would look like. Oh, the pain. Forget it. Virgin’s dummy-spit over international-to-domestic transfers, calling the current system at the current airport ”third world” isn’t so far off, although at least some parts of the third world, like Singapore, do quite well, thanks. I had more trouble in Switzerland transferring terminals, although that also involved an additional security check and customs. (What did they think I did after the first security check and while I was on the plane? Build a rifle out of cheese and biscuits?) There is effectively no existing infrastructure to transfer between terminals. But let’s think about that in relation to travelling to Australia. How many times will an international arrival require transfer to a domestic flight? If you’ve come to Sydney, more often than not you are not then on your way to Melbourne or, for that matter, to Wagga Wagga or Albury. It’s possible; it will happen; but enough to build a light rail transfer facility? Maybe not. A Virgin Airways executive may do it, in order to bounce around the places his or her planes go to in Australia, but business travellers more generally will come to Sydney to be in Sydney etc. There just isn’t the same level of international commerce headquartered in the regional cities and towns that’s going to see a lot of flight-hopping. If the conversation prompts improvements, let’s start with fixing the problems the current airport presents. This could mean building that second airport as a replacement for the majority of international flights, leaving Kingsford-Smith for the domestic – so long as there’s a good transfer function built, of course.

Bridge Run The Sydney Running Festival includes a marathon, half-marathon, 3.5k Family Fun Run (walk across the bridge with a pram), and the 9k Bridge Run, which has been my elected option the last three years. This year saw nearly a four-minute improvement over 2012, and just a little slower than 2011. I credit work for particpating in the Global Corporate Challenge, a fitness-promoting program that encourages you to walk "10,000 steps" or more per day, which ran over the last four months. I included training runs in that program, but breaking training was compensated for, it seems. It's tremendous fun running across the Harbour Bridge, somewhat less so through the Domain, when the streets narrow and the course loops back on itself, so your pace, for those of us not destined to actually compete, can be forced to a shuffle as you look for a gap through the walkers and (even) slower participants. The reasonable starting hour makes it a good choice, although by 9 a.m. at this time of year it's getting warm: 20 degrees by the time I got to the finish. I'd go for another half if it didn't start at 6:15. There's still the Sydney Morning Herald Half, in May, or maybe the new one out at Olympic Park at the end of October (not this year, though, which I'll miss even the 10k event, due to only just having completed a long overseas trip).