Not only has the proposed development been scaled back by 500 houses but the environmental conservation area will increase from 261ha to 300ha.

Long standing opponent of the power station plans, Kanahooka resident Maureen Magee, tells me the amount of green space to be saved around the power station is more than welcome.

She also suggests the council proposals for the area include making the power station company meet the costs of any infrastructure programs that will be permissible, and this could mean necessary works in a link to the nearby Princes Highway.

I’m also hearing that the council has put rigid conditions relating to storm water, noise and the preservation of flora and fauna.

And I’m also hearing that where any sewerage costs might be incurred in the down–sized development plans, the power station people will also have to meet these.

Definitely a win for the locals who have fought hard to protect the area from a future housing boom, and hats off to the city administrators for the part they are playing.

It’s hard to follow

In one breath we have the city’s general manager David Farmer blowing his trumpet about how costs have been contained, but then comes the news that we will have to pay extra to dump waste or get buried at a council cemetery.

And, what’s more, these charges are expected to rise by 3.5 per cent.

There will also be a rise in tourist park charges along with council inspection fees, while the controversial upping of charges to use public swimming pools at Dapto and Corrimal and the Beaton Park and Lakeside leisure centres will go ahead.

It’s also hard to reconcile the general manager’s words when each week in our daily you see at least one and sometimes more jobs on offer to work at city hall!

Jobs

And on the subject of jobs with the city council, did you see the advertisement at the weekend - wait for it, a dementia monitoring program project officer.

It will be a 21 hours a week role and will pay more than $30,000 a year, although it is subject to recurrent funding.

What has dementia got to do with running our city?

Next we’ll be advertising for someone to sneak around our streets looking for swine fever suspects for example.

Or maybe dementia is a problem at city hall?

Interesting insight

Went to a splendid barbecue lunch at the weekend organised by the Corrimal Branch of the Liberal Party where often outspoken Federal Senator Bill Heffernan was the special guest, and he had quite a few revelations about what going on up Canberra way.

He warned of a possible commission into how the Federal Government is allocating cash for upgrading school amenities and asked why in most cases local contractors weren’t being given a chance to put in for the work.

Bill also suggested retiring former treasurer Peter Costello should’ve had a crack at the Liberal leadership and warned that the next Rudd budget would be an absolute nightmare.

On a serious note, Bill said his party was struggling to get their share of political donations with the trade union movement seeming to dominate this scene right now.

He also suggested we would not see another Federal election until at least 2010.

No win situation

Local taxi operators have been given the green light to raise their fares by at least 4.1 per cent, an average of 68 cents more for a trip, but really in the heart of our city it will do little for them.

And that’s because they are already hurting thanks to the State Government organising a free shuttle service, which naturally enough is becoming increasingly popular.

You could say they are in a win–loss situation!