29 August 2009

Kafka comes to Canberra as TAMS takes issue with displays on City Walk

| johnboy
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The Canberra Times brings word on the latest boneheaded stoush with the Department of Territory And Municipal Services (TAMS) and traders in Civic who’ve been putting displays and merchandise out in front of their stores.

TAMS sound moderately admirable when they say a permit needs to be obtained before taking appropriating the commons that is City Walk. Until it turns out that they don’t issue permits for these purposes.

Apparently they’re working on getting out a new draft policy next month. Perhaps it might be best not to crack down with a new interpretation of existing policy until the new policy is complete?

It’s just a thought.

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I wasn’t aware that Robert Mugabe had moved to Canberra recently and taken up a job in the ACT PS.

That would be for the street race and opening ceremony for the MTB world champs. One of the major sponsors is Nissan, hence the big Hilux.

I went through Garema today and the Govt had basically cut the guts out of the joint with portable barriers, witches’ hats, assorted Hilux utes and other random obstructions.

Gawd knows what they are doing, but it seems the absolute height of hypocrisy to pick on Landspeed’s relatively tiny CD racks while at the same time alienating 90% of the enormous space with assorted crap.

… oh, and some Christian evangelists had snuck through the middle of the mess with a bunch of trestle tables feeding the homeless … did they get fined too?

Gungahlin Al9:24 pm 30 Aug 09

I’m not so bothered by small displays, but I have had a gutful of the A-frame signs all these businesses have out in Garema. They are huge and the shops set them up 3 astern basically blocking several metres of footpath and there are heaps of them.

While on a rant about shops and signs – bloody Dobinsons. As is leasing most of the footpath isn’t enough, they go and stick more tables in the unleased footpath between the leased are and the door. Then they use signs to block off even more of it. So out of a 7 metre wide footpath, Dobinsons deign to leave just one metre for you know pedestrians…

Better yet, why not ban pedestrians? They get in the way of everything.

TP 3000 said :

Clown Killer said :

I think that this is too cack-handed to have been dreamt up by a bureaucrat. It’s got Katy Gallagher’s incompetent fingerprints all over it.

Try Queensland Investment Corporation. If people walking through the City on there way to the Canberra Centre & something outside another store catches their eye on their way. They ain’t going to go to the Canberra Centre. Also I’m sure QIC would love for these stores to move into the Canberra Centre.

Also – Katy isn’t the Minister for TaMS. Anything she might even dream up is subject to the actual Minister – who is also the CM. So you can’t sheet home the blame to her for this one (unless they order that little shop in Woden hospital to pull its stands in).

I personally vote for QIC leaning on a disempowered and possibly deskilled TaMS as the cause of this.

i hate those racks of discs outside landspeed – they have some magic magnetic powers that draw me and then make me get out my credit card, and… ban them! (and ban chocolate while you’re at banning dogs. and coffee. ban that too. insidious it is…)

NickD said :

Surely no-one has complained about the rack of CDs out the front of Landspeed or cheap shoes outside Redpath…

Why?

I’ve heard people complain about their neighbours leaving their bins out on nature strips. Why would you think that someone wouldn’t complain about something that they see as interfering with their ability to walk freely?

Sorry, how does the Canberra Centre in itself kill off Garema Place? Isn’t it called competition? Perhaps customers prefer to park and shop undercover rather than walking through a cold and windy thoroughfare.

TP 3000 said :

Try Queensland Investment Corporation. If people walking through the City on there way to the Canberra Centre & something outside another store catches their eye on their way. They ain’t going to go to the Canberra Centre. Also I’m sure QIC would love for these stores to move into the Canberra Centre.

+1
Why don’t they just go the whole hog and get businesses outside the ridiculously expensive Canberra Centre to paint their windows black so passers-by can’t see the wares inside.

TP3000, I think you hit the nail on the head but take it further – QIC unveiled their master plan for the city centre. They want these stores out of there so they can take over, redevelop etc.

My money’s on TAMS obeying orders suggestions which ultimately will lead to further trade loss and inevitable moving on of the stores there. Perfect pickings for QIC to move in and restructure the city centre how they wish; in line with their Canberra Centre expansion.

Given that Garema Place is dieing because the over-large Canberra Centre is killing off all its shops, it makes no sense whatsoever for TAMS to give the retailers there another kick. Surely no-one has complained about the rack of CDs out the front of Landspeed or cheap shoes outside Redpath…

Clown Killer said :

I think that this is too cack-handed to have been dreamt up by a bureaucrat. It’s got Katy Gallagher’s incompetent fingerprints all over it.

Try Queensland Investment Corporation. If people walking through the City on there way to the Canberra Centre & something outside another store catches their eye on their way. They ain’t going to go to the Canberra Centre. Also I’m sure QIC would love for these stores to move into the Canberra Centre.

AstralPlane said :

This month will be remembered as “Grey August”.

The month when the government decided that anything colourful should no longer be allowed. Fireworks? Too much fun. Too colourful. People doing it on their own in a non-government sponsored way. Merchandise on the sidewalk? Too interesting. Too much like there might be something going on. Makes the place look like some kind of actual retail precinct where people might congregate. I mean, you just can’t have it.

Those two are a good start. Can anyone think of any other stuff that we should get rid of to make this place conform to proper orderly standards?

Yes, cloudy the future is. I’m personally concerned about the plethora of vehicles that aren’t Brittish Racing Green, off-white, or black. Perhaps a ban on any colour other than the above would be in order. Furthermore, I think it’s high time our fearless leaders take a stand and do something about cyclists with cable ties attached to their helmets to prevent magpie attacks. These are very distracting to other road users. A large fine? A permit system? Perhaps we could confiscate their treadlies and force them on to our fabulous bus system. That’d learn ’em.

Gobbo said :

Actually, TaMS does already issue permits for this thing. I guess the bloke was lucky to not have recorded a complaint against him for so long, or for an authroised officer to check the records.

Still, it only takes one complaint ot upset the apple cart.

There is currently a determined charge for a person to use a public area by displaying various bits and bobs, such as tables, chairs, bins, motorcars and other items that are not the aforesaid.

The Fees Determination under the Roads and Public Places Act [Sections 15E and 15F of the Act (Grant of Permit, Cancellation of Permit)] designates a fee of either $3.75 per m2 per week, OR $2.45 per m2 per week for placement of objects in a public place generally.

From what I’ve heard from the department gobbo they’re only set up to issue permits for cafe/restaurant seating. It’s not legislation, it’s internal bureaucracy.

Yeah, I’d forgotten the bill posters. And the fringe.

Why stop there? There’s heaps of stuff we could ban. Bicycles. They’re fun, but a tiny minority occasionally cause inconvenience and annoyance to others on the road. We should therefore ban them all. Dogs too. They’re fun, but sometimes they kill children. Surely the tiny percentage of dog owners who aren’t responsible should be the cause of the whole of society losing the right to own a dog?

Actually, TaMS does already issue permits for this thing. I guess the bloke was lucky to not have recorded a complaint against him for so long, or for an authroised officer to check the records.

Still, it only takes one complaint ot upset the apple cart.

There is currently a determined charge for a person to use a public area by displaying various bits and bobs, such as tables, chairs, bins, motorcars and other items that are not the aforesaid.

The Fees Determination under the Roads and Public Places Act [Sections 15E and 15F of the Act (Grant of Permit, Cancellation of Permit)] designates a fee of either $3.75 per m2 per week, OR $2.45 per m2 per week for placement of objects in a public place generally.

If RiotACT has annual awards for stupido TaMS decisions I nominate this one.

Great time to be kicking small business owners in the shin.

Hells_Bells742:34 pm 29 Aug 09

AstralPlane said :

This month will be remembered as “Grey August”.

The month when the government decided that anything colourful should no longer be allowed. Fireworks? Too much fun. Too colourful. People doing it on their own in a non-government sponsored way. Merchandise on the sidewalk? Too interesting. Too much like there might be something going on. Makes the place look like some kind of actual retail precinct where people might congregate. I mean, you just can’t have it.

Those two are a good start. Can anyone think of any other stuff that we should get rid of to make this place conform to proper orderly standards?

Not certain it’s August but I certainly read about it in Aug – Bill and all his colourful Posters went wayward too!

Indeed Clown Killer – the less colour, movement and fun she allows out in the real world, the more likely it is that Canberrans will remain catatonic indoors at the pokies …

Clown Killer1:45 pm 29 Aug 09

This one’s really weird. For as long as anyone can remember shop keepers have popped a few goods outside their store – often some sale items. Now it seems that it’s been illegal all along and that it’s time that shop keepers coughed up for the privilege of taking up a square metre or two of public footpath.

It’s not like these people are in the same boat as cafes and restaurants who double or triple capacity of their establishment with outdoor seating and, justifiably pay for the privilege.

I think that this is too cack-handed to have been dreamt up by a bureaucrat. It’s got Katy Gallagher’s incompetent fingerprints all over it.

Calwell Resident1:29 pm 29 Aug 09

I dont agree or disagree with TAMS. However if this is the stance they are taking, I hope they also have in their legislation/law/policy the same stance for prospective politicians standing on the sides of our main roads at election time. Bet they dont.

This month will be remembered as “Grey August”.

The month when the government decided that anything colourful should no longer be allowed. Fireworks? Too much fun. Too colourful. People doing it on their own in a non-government sponsored way. Merchandise on the sidewalk? Too interesting. Too much like there might be something going on. Makes the place look like some kind of actual retail precinct where people might congregate. I mean, you just can’t have it.

Those two are a good start. Can anyone think of any other stuff that we should get rid of to make this place conform to proper orderly standards?

moneypenny261212:13 pm 29 Aug 09

JB, common sense is not a TAMS hallmark these days.
What’s the fine for occupying sidewalks without permission? Doesn’t TAMS have a massive budget blow-out to claw back?
Small, petty steps and all that…

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