By the Newtown Political Collective
What sort of city do we want? Do we want cities that are OK to live in? Or do we want cities that are machines for making profit?
What sort of city do we have?
Do you live near the M2? Do you live under an aircraft flight path?
Do you live in the western suburbs? Do you use public transport?
Have you ever seen the empty McDonald's cartons littering the streets?
Do you live in the inner city? Is your rent going up? Is your neighbourhood turning into flats and cafes you can't afford?
Are they closing down the community centre where you live? Do you even have a community centre?
Have you noticed how there're hardly any all-ages gigs or raves? Have you ever gone to the beach and had to swim through sewage?
Then you already know the answer.
It's happening for two reasons. The big parties are in the pockets of developers, and the public doesn't really do anything to stop it. All levels of government are guilty, from the federal government to the councils.
What can you do?
Donate money or time to one of the green parties, or to an environmental group. Sydney Uni, Macquarie Uni and UTS all have specifically green groups. A lot of other groups also run environmental campaigns.
Direct action. You might graffiti on the offices of some company that's responsible for wrecking the environment (the environment's so interlinked that it needn't be the urban environment in particular). One possible slogan is "Earth First — Profit Last".
Some larger ideas include blockading some project — the anti-M2 people did this a lot — or occupying the offices of a council which is responsible for environmental destruction.
You really have to be prepared to break the law in minor ways. The law doesn't protect the environment. It protects the people who attack the environment.
Maybe the most important thing to remember is who to trust. Don't believe the big parties. Just about every politician has a "strong commitment" to livable cities. But somehow the planes keep flying, the train station never gets built, and there's a highway in your front yard. And remember, it is in your front yard: have a look at your local member's house one day, if they even live in Sydney.
Environmental destruction can be stopped, but no-one's going to do it for you. You have to organise yourselves and take action yourselves. The problem's too big to leave to anyone else.