Kennett's Melbourne
During the week I had a Kennett moment. I was out late one night, waiting for a train at Parliament station and started studying the local area map on the wall. As at most stations, the map is a collection of Melway pages stuck together, pointing out everything worth seeing in the area, all with a painful amount of detail.
To help pass the minutes I started looking at the small details on the map, and noticed that it had aged quite significantly. Just south of the Yarra was "Crown Casino Complex (proposed)", whilst just opposite Flinders Street Station was nothing but an unwieldly collection of railway lines and the Gas and Fuel building. Based on what was an wasn't published on the map, I estimated that it was circa 1995, just over two years into the Kennett era, and with many of his major projects still to come.
I betchya Jeff did most of the talking
In the time since the map was published, there have been a multitude of changes to the shape of Melbourne. Dividing them between the Kennett era and the Bracks era is revealing:
- Crown Casino Complex (licence issued by Kirner, but construction was under Kennett)
- Federation Square (Kennett, though completed - late - under Bracks)
- Melbourne Museum (Kennett)
- Docklands Stadium (Kennett)
- CityLink (Kennett)
- Exhibition Street extention (Kennett)
- MCG Redevelopment (Bracks, although in response to winning Commonwealth Games, a Kennett project)
- Spencer Street redevelopment (ditto)
Though the past ten years has been shared roughly equally by both Kennett and Bracks, the imprint on the shape of the city by the former is stark, whilst the latter's legacy is modest. In recent years there has been a lack of excitement about developments in the inner city. The mystery and excitement of heading into the city and seeing a skyline full of cranes is no longer there. Instead, there is a sense that the city is complacent and not keen to grow.
Perhaps I am falling victim to the craving for bread and circuses which ultimately cost Kennett his Premiership. After all, Bracks himself has claimed that he wishes to focus on social infrastructure rather than major projects. But even with this rearrangement of priorities, surely there is still a role for the state Government is ensuring Melbourne remains a vibrant and ever-growing city.
As the 10:53pm to Frankston pulled up, I couldn't help but have a secret longing for Kennett, in all his big-haired, arrogant-speaking major-project-loving goodness. Is there truth to what I'm saying, or am I just a development fascist?
To help pass the minutes I started looking at the small details on the map, and noticed that it had aged quite significantly. Just south of the Yarra was "Crown Casino Complex (proposed)", whilst just opposite Flinders Street Station was nothing but an unwieldly collection of railway lines and the Gas and Fuel building. Based on what was an wasn't published on the map, I estimated that it was circa 1995, just over two years into the Kennett era, and with many of his major projects still to come.
I betchya Jeff did most of the talking
In the time since the map was published, there have been a multitude of changes to the shape of Melbourne. Dividing them between the Kennett era and the Bracks era is revealing:
- Crown Casino Complex (licence issued by Kirner, but construction was under Kennett)
- Federation Square (Kennett, though completed - late - under Bracks)
- Melbourne Museum (Kennett)
- Docklands Stadium (Kennett)
- CityLink (Kennett)
- Exhibition Street extention (Kennett)
- MCG Redevelopment (Bracks, although in response to winning Commonwealth Games, a Kennett project)
- Spencer Street redevelopment (ditto)
Though the past ten years has been shared roughly equally by both Kennett and Bracks, the imprint on the shape of the city by the former is stark, whilst the latter's legacy is modest. In recent years there has been a lack of excitement about developments in the inner city. The mystery and excitement of heading into the city and seeing a skyline full of cranes is no longer there. Instead, there is a sense that the city is complacent and not keen to grow.
Perhaps I am falling victim to the craving for bread and circuses which ultimately cost Kennett his Premiership. After all, Bracks himself has claimed that he wishes to focus on social infrastructure rather than major projects. But even with this rearrangement of priorities, surely there is still a role for the state Government is ensuring Melbourne remains a vibrant and ever-growing city.
As the 10:53pm to Frankston pulled up, I couldn't help but have a secret longing for Kennett, in all his big-haired, arrogant-speaking major-project-loving goodness. Is there truth to what I'm saying, or am I just a development fascist?
Comments
1. Electrified rail to Warragul (curtailed by Kennett)
2. Mornington Peninsula railway (closed by Hamer)
3. Stony Point line (closed by Hamer, opened by Crabb)
4. Cranbourne electrification (Under Kennett, but funded through Keating's Better Cities)
5. Sydenham/Watergardens (planned under Kennett, opened under Bracks)
6. Metcard (a semi-botched Kennett project that follows the failed scratch tickets (Cain/Kirner).
Followed by its emasculation by the incompetent and unmissed Mary Delahunty (not harmless).
Kennett was the best thing to happen to Victoria in 100 years, his only flaw was to be the Melbourne State Premier, rather than the Victorian one.
It is beginning to look a little as if Bracks' damage to the state may even reach the benchmarks set by kirner & cain.
Cameron
Spencer St Redevlopment - Bracks
EastLink - Bracks
Macedon St Bridge in Sunbury - Bracks
Recycled Water Use in Western Water Region - Bracks
Carlton on the botton of the Ladder - who cares
Dozza
Or funding for schools and hospitals.
I know which one I'd choose.
that's why I avoid 'Islamofacist' or 'Islamist' when discussing terrorisms. I think the terms are an intellectual copout and deaden our thinking about how to handle this menace
at this rate, might do a second postmodernist post on my blog
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fascism
"The term fascism has come to mean any system of government resembling Mussolini's, that in various combinations:
exalts the nation, (and in some cases the race, culture, or religion) above the individual, with the state apparatus being supreme.
stresses loyalty to a single leader.
uses violence and modern techniques of propaganda and censorship to forcibly suppress political opposition.
engages in severe economic and social regimentation.
engages in syndicalist corporatism.
implements totalitarian systems. "
Although the Kennett government displayed a number of the above charateristics it was the jeff.com campaign of 1999 (where the censorship extended to even gagging his own MPs) with those very billboards that gave those of us who have lived under dictatorial regimes the willies. Ask Ari about images of Kim in North Korea. The point I tried making was that Kennett's actions in that election 'highlighted' the fascist tendencies of himself and his government and certainly stressed loyalty to a single leader, not as you put it "Kennet was not far off being a fascist for his election billboards". One would only twist someones words like that if they were stupid or intent on being offensive.
Cameron
Anyway I get away from myself.
For those beating each other over theuse of the word facist, stop being language-nazi's.
That ought to stir the pot, now to move on.
Steve at the Pub got in and gave the comment I'd have made before me - Kennett was a Melbourne Premier, not a Victorian one. There is a state beyond "Zone 3", and Kennett didn't give creedence enough to that. Well done Bracks for trying to do something about regional rail lines, but mate, please stop thinking that to look after a regional area you just link up the major centres to the city.
Besides which, coming from a 3+ hour drive from Melbourne, and having Bendigo halfway down that drive, I've never really considered Bendigo, Ballarat, and especially Geelong, all that "regional" anyway...
But semantic discussions bore me. I'm off now.
Cheers
Cameron