Day 31 cont

“Already these so-called #greenfield developments — houses built on previously #BareLand, just as the name suggests — are changing the #terrain of #Australia’s #cities.

The new #developments are easy to spot from the street, or the air, thanks to the sea of grey roof tiles.

Where once #ResidentialDevelopment was concentrated around #economic centres, now it’s #bulging outwards to an extent that the connection to city-living is tenuous at best.”

The barely mentioned issue that needs to be addressed, #population and #planning.

#AusPol / #cities / #land / #LandUse <https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-30/federal-election-greenfield-developments/105216632>

@ApaulD
It boils down to #development planning, liveable cities #TownPlanning and integrated infrastructure. Let’s face it, Australian cities and towns are an abomination of financial speculation and absolute disregard for the environment. This has led to a hotchpotch development of isolated infrastructure, workplaces, services and habitat. Righting all those wrongs is well nigh impossible, very expensive, and (vip for the top end of town) unprofitable - ain’t goin’ to happen.

Not so for #greenfield and new satellite cities where toughtful planning with a focus on the #environment can deliver cleaner, more efficient/productive and healthy living for its inhabitants. Not a dream but ‘possibilities’ and ‘opportunities’, but only if there is political will to ‘make it so’.

In the meantime, healthy living is pushed out to the backstage and govt tinker around the edges to keep us under control. Again, there is a lack of popular movement strong enough to sway govts away from tipping the hat to #corporatism and #grifters.

There really is only one way out of this mess (barring bloody revolutions) and that is to #unionise get out in the streets and demand action (or else) and fully exercise our rights to #vote accordingly.
There are only two things bullies (govt and grifter alike) respond to and that is resolute #opposition and a bigger bully than themselves. Unions can become the bigger bully (again), and resolute #resistance needs to come from all of us (that is to say the majority). I don’t mind supporting a big bully, if I can control that bully (guardrailed) and they do their utmost to act for the benefit of all people in society. While a society based on a controlled bully (I’m reminded of early imperial Rome somewhat) is not ideal and perhaps inherently flawed, if I have to live under the rule of a bully anyway, I’d much prefer one of my own choosing with a bick stick stached away in my cupboard.

#CircusSmirkus is touring the northeast, #Greenfield #Massachusetts (daytrip for the show and #MassMoCA, too?) this weekend

#Waltham next weekend, good people there, deets: https://www.smirkus.org/
#BostonWeekend 8/x

#Adair County Vet clinic in #Greenfield is still standing, has only minor damage and is operational. Clinic staff are all okay.
Greenfield's hospital (pic) was among the buildings that were damaged.
Patients were evacuated and, like other injured people, were taken to hospitals in the region.