NOTE: Do NOT sign a Fix Our City campaign (rail related)

[Red_Rattler]

ABC News: Keneally urged to take charge of CBD redevelopment

See, this is what I mean about the Fix Our City campaigners supporting the removal of the rail line. And I have recently learnt that that title has already been used around the time of the earthquake or so.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/01/01/2783787.htm

Keneally urged to take charge of CBD redevelopment
Posted Fri Jan 1, 2010 9:28am AEDT

Newcastle business leaders are calling on the NSW Premier, Kristina Keneally to take charge of the rejuvenation of Newcastle's inner-city.

The local business community launched the "Fix Our City" campaign five months ago, saying they are frustrated the State Government is stalling making a decision on the future of Newcastle.

The report recommends building a new bus and rail interchange at Wickham and creating a university campus in the city.

Businesses want to see the recommendations contained in the Hunter Development Corporation's "City Renewal Report" endorsed by the Government.

Campaign spokesman Paul Murphy says Ms Keneally must act sooner rather than later.

"We'd like to see that our new Premier would possibly gather the members together locally and say to them 'look, we really need to start working together here and work with the Fix Our City group of people,'" he said.

"To say 'well let's get on and get the job done,' identify this HDC report and show the leadership that's required to get Newcastle back as a regional capital."

He says the advertising campaign will be ramped-up in a bid to prevent Newcastle from falling further into decay.

"We want to make sure that things do happen and keep the pressure on the Government to make sure that they meet some timelines," he said.

"Those timelines are the things that the Premier now really needs to grab hold of, along with our local members and the minister for Hunter to get everyone working together and give some commitment on times, not just the rhetoric that we've been getting."

 

[LVman]

media is in support of removing the rail line.

That's because the Media always sides with the group who can give more hand outs, and more money. Yeah, there are backers who want to keep the rail line, but the Media will always have the upper hand, since, as I stated before, they always side with the larger amount of money. Sad, but true in both Australia, and here in America.

 

[Red_Rattler]

Example of the media biase

To those that suggest putting this subject in the media, here is an example of how low the media that I strongly believe has an interest in the rail land stoops to.

Read the article, then see the first comment by this Jenny creature. The Jenny does similar copy & pastes and does it to almost every rail article that supports rail.

Gotta go T/storm coming - more info later

 

[Red_Rattler]

MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION

On Thursday these Fix Our City people have copied the people that want the Newcastle Rail Line saved, by holding a rally of their own on Thursday 3 June at 5pm called Fix Our City.

HOWEVER

Their is no mention that it is really a rally in support cutting the Newcastle rail line. It should really be called Cut The Rail Line Rally. And to enter it you need to register, unlike those that support keeping the rail line. Going by some of the media, before you are allowed to ask questions, you need to sign a petition. This petition if I am correct does not mention that you are really signing in support of cutting the Newcastle Rail Line. (ie: dirty tatics and misleading advertising. I have been informed today that these Fix Our City people have an ad in the media, and again I have been told that their is no mention of what their rally is really all about. I have also on good authority that if any group that wants to have a rally in support of keeping the rail line, it is very hard (almost impossible) to advertise the pro-keep the rail rallies.

If you are in that above area, I just want to make you aware

 

[Red_Rattler]

I can now confirm that the ad does NOT mention it's main (& only) agenda of cutting the rail line.

 

[Red_Rattler]

Hmm, interesting (NOT).

The petition which will no doubt not mention that it is really a petition in cutting the rail line, and this petition is going to be used as the registration to be able attend this rall that is disguised as something else.

 

[RRSignal]

How about getting some Letters-to-the-Editor in your local paper? That helps get the word out, and its cheaper than buying ad space.

 

[Red_Rattler]

Because that is like asking the "enemy" so to speak

How about getting some Letters-to-the-Editor in your local paper? That helps get the word out

Anyone want to tell him?

Because that paper IS the paper that is advertising this Fix Our City (FOC) and the paper will not let you say stuff like the real & only reason for this rally is to cut the rail line.

===

Fix Our City was only set up to remove the rail line
FOC was only set up in an attempt to get the rail line removed, Basically the same people are involved in Hunter Business Chamber, Hunter Development Corporation, Newcastle City Alliance. They have created this many groups tom make it look as though more groups support cutting the rail line. I also find it interesting that Colin Scott from that certain hobby shop (that sells trains & trams) is no where mentioned as one of the sponsors. It has come to notice that he has taken his FOC sign down from his hobby shop. (Hmm, wonder why)

It has also come direct from FOC that the registration to enter and/or take part in this meeting IS the petition, and that petition will be for the removal of the rail line, and I highly doubt that would be mentioned, or would be hidden somewhere where it is hard to find. Yet earlier the FOC mob tried to say that the registration form is different to the petition.

Unlike those people that want to keep the rail line, any group that holds a public meeting, or public rally as they are calling it, requires registration. I believe this is to try & restrict people from their meetings.

To put it simply: The FOC rally is nothing more than a disguised rally which should be called "Cut-The-Rail-Line-Rally".

 

[RRSignal]

It may be worth a try still. Our print media in the U.S. is horribly biased, but they do often allow LTEs or even op-eds contrary to their point-of-view. Their reasons are far from altruistic - having opposing opinions drums up controversy, and sales. Yes, there are some print outlets that rarely if ever print opposing points-of-view (I'm thinking the New York Times and LA Times) but those tend to be in the minority.

But I admit, I don't know what politics there is like. I would say if writing LTEs and/or op-eds has been tried by more than a half-dozen folks with decent writing skills, then you're probably right, and they are actively suppressing dissent. Perhaps the next step putting up flyers and going door-to-door exposing their mischaracterization of this rally is the next step.

 

[Red_Rattler]

RRSignal, although one of the groups (the Hunter Development Corporation) was created by the NSW government, this is not about politics.

This is about SOME (read some) people and developers trying to get their greedy paws on the rail land. (Look through some other related posts/thread & see just why the developers want the rail land). The main developer has already got their paws on a park (oval) that belonged to the people.

 

[leachy]

Will this end in closing passenger rail stations?
If so I would take your protest to them.
Ask if it is ok to post some material at the station about the subject and maybe hand out some pamphlets to the commuters that use the rail. I am sure they will be some of your biggest supporters. If they say no, I believe you only have to go outside the station and onto public grounds and you can hand out any pamphlets you want - (You may want to check with your local council first if you are allowed to hand out material on street corners, you may need a permit)
If the rail line also moves goods, try contacting some of the larger companies in your area that use rail to move their goods and make them aware of what is going to happen.

Try to think of people that have money and are going to be put out by having no railway, try to get some of them on your side and they may be able to offer more help.

The public can have a large voice but it has to make it onto the tv and radio and newspapers for everyone to take notice.

Have you tried getting it on your local talk back radio, some popular local websites, forums, etc... This forum is an ok place to start looking for people interested in trains but you want to find people that will be inconvenienced by NOT having trains, this isnt really that place. If you really want to do something about it, you have to make yourself heard, leave messages about it everywhere you go, public noticeboards, shop windows, school noticeboards, use all the free advertising you can find.

It looks like the campaign is relying on ignorance, hopefully if you can get past the people tied into spreading the ignorance and get directly to the public, hopefully the campaign will fail miserably.

Just my opinion, but I hope you find it helpfull. I would like to see the railway survive as I believe the removal of railways can ruin towns and cities.

GOOD LUCK

 

[Red_Rattler]

Have you tried getting it on your local talk back radio,

Again, with one exception(1), that is like asking the "enemy" so to speak. I can't say too much, but a certain talkback show will not allow any group that supports keeping the rail line into the CBD on the radio, until a decision has been made (that translates until a decision has been made on closing the rail line).

1. Even with this one exception, while they do allow both sides, it does sound like the try to water down the side that supports keeping the rail line.

 

[Red_Rattler]

This Cut The Rail group now has an article in the media, yet this time they will not allow comments. This is of course to restrict those support keeping the rail line.

 

[Red_Rattler]

This is what groups that support keeping the rail are up against

This is what people who support keeping the rail line are up against

On Thursday 3 Jun 2010 at 5pm, Fix Our City (FOC) is holding a Cut The Rail rally in Newcastle's Town Hall disguised as a Fix Our City rally (their ads don't mention the main agenda of their rally in trying to cut the rail).

Yet another organisation is holding a rally in support of saving the heavy rail line in the park opposite (Civic Park) at the same time, with leaflets about the keeping the rail rally. I won't say too much expect to say that quite a number of these leaflets were taken down.