If Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore is successful in her attempts to change late-night drinking patterns and the trouble that goes with it, she will earn a significant place in our history. Indeed, her plan should be regarded as a template for how councils and governments should deal with the liquor industry in Australia.
The truth is that most politicians municipal, state, and federal don’t have the gumption to tackle a problem that is endemic in Australia: booze-related violence.
It indisputable that increased trading hours of licensed premises, in particular 24-hour liquor …

Tomorrow at Sydney’s historic Mint Building in Macquarie Street, the Heritage Council of NSW and the Royal Australian Institute of Architects (NSW Chapter) launches a major publication, ‘New Uses for Heritage Places’, which showcases seriously sustainable uses for Australia’s heritage buildings.
But you won’t find the federal government taking a similarly forward-looking approach to heritage matters. The Australian government continues to significantly under-fund heritage protection, especially our Aboriginal and historic sites.
There is no excuse for this inattention, particularly as Australia is now at the cutting edge of heritage conservation. The ideas …

A key plank in the Australian Football League’s plan to expand the national competition is to establish permanently a second Aussie Rules team in the Harbour City. Not that Sydney’s proposed second AFL team will be housed anywhere near the Harbour foreshore; their headquarters will be in western suburbs and most likely based at Blacktown.
Perhaps surprisingly, the long-time chairman of the Sydney Swans, Richard Colless, said to me yesterday that he is “enthusiastic about any move to grow the game in New South Wales and the ACT. However Colless makes …