Is the Royal Melbourne Show still relevant?

$65 for a family to enter to buy show bags of goods made in china, crap fast food and play the same old amusement parlour games from 50 years ago. Sure there are the animals shows and community events but is this enough of an incentive to keep people coming? Has the Royal Melbourne show become a crass money making event for show bag and fast food vendors?

For me, it seems the Royal Melbourne Show needs a new direction to make it relevant for families and the local community again. Let's bring back some local content. Let's make the showbags more sustainable. Should show organizers impose a minimum local content in show bags? Should the content be more ecologically sustainable, instead of the throw in rubbish made in china crap that usually litters these show bags? Should "green bags"be used instead of the cheap plastic bags as standard. Can we involve local designers to design the show bags?All relevant questions, and something the community should be demanding.

Another issue that needs addressing is the cost of entry? Has it become prohibatively high for the majority of struggling families? I would like to see the organizers justify the cost of the show. Let an accountant in and show where costs are going. If the price is justified, then so be it, but organizers need to look at more ways to get struggling families in. Get struggling families involved in the preparation and then offer them discounts for their help.

That's not to say the Melbourne Show is complete crap. It's a Melbourne institution and it's involvement of the wider community is to be commended. But like all thing it can be improved with our input. Get involved people!

Do icecream vans add to the liveability of melbourne suburbs?

I'm sure many of us have fond memories growing up of the icecream van coming by, the sweet musical lyrics drawing us out of our homes in summer to get a soft serve cone, or gelati. These days this icecream van tune seems all but a distant memory with only a few ageing vendors still in the business. Can something be done about this?

As a community, we should come together and stick up for the things that make life fun. We talk about sustainability, and protecting our children's future. That's all good and well, but let's not forget that finer details too. Things like icecream vans and milk bars. These also need be protected.

How can this be done? Should councils consider employing an icecream van driver in the summer months with any profits being put back into the community? Would this be better served by a local IGA sponsoring an icecream truck? The increased buying power of local councils or a supermarket like IGA could ensure a quality product being onsold to our kids. It would be shame if these icecream vans just peddled the mass manufactured stuff we get from nestle or streets.

The livability of a city is composed of thousands of different elements. Do you think icecream vans are part of this web? Get a discussion happening with your local community group if you think it does.

Melbourne's New B-grade Stadium?

Architecturally, the new soccer & rugby stadium is worthy of praise. Aswell as this, it has some great environmental design features. However, what we're hearing now is that this stadium is not fit for Fifa world cup regulations, due to its capacity, and hence can't be used to host any world cup games. What a lack of foresight!


















According to an article on Fox sports, Fifa requires a minimum capacity of 40,000 to host games, and this stadiums maximum is 31,000. 9000 extra seats? How much does that cost? Surely, the boost in economic income from securing a world cup could have justified the cost? Now our bid seems a bit shaky.

Some may argue that Docklands is an alternative venue, but with so many other sports and events going on, there's already pressure on the Victorian government to build another stadium. AFL clubs want a better stadium deal, and with footy holding such a sway in town, does that mean another couple hundred million will be spent on a new stadium?

Do we really need another stadium Melbourne?

Melbourne as a catalyst

These were made with my amateurish gimp skills. What can you come up with? Somebody make an m&m's mashup with the melbourne city logo!

City vs Suburbs - Is the new undercity loop win/win?

• 100 million underground station at Parkville.
• 14 extra trains an hour to western and northern suburbs.
• Links from inner city to the west to Stkilda rd district.

On paper there seems to be something for everyone here. It's a nice showcase project for Brumby to bring to the next election, given public transport could potentially be a achilles heel issue for him.

The question people from the suburbs, particuarly those in the outer suburbs should ask, is this really good value for money for them? There are those that argue that the inner city is already well serviced by many modes of transport. They have trams, trains and buses that run frequently compared to the suburbs which have only buses which run every 30 minutes or so.

Of course, with a growing population, many will argue that there is always room to expand capacity, and that's what Brumby is doing with this project. There are benefits of having a denser and more populated inner city, which will bring a new vibrancy and buzz to town. Then again, will there be more violence and crime?

What about those that argue for a decentralization of Melbourne? Development of so called transport hubs in the "middle suburbs". So people can work more locally, rather than take the hike into or across town? Are these too hard, or importantly less visible for a premier preparing for an election?

Unfortunately this project is likely to reinforce the "Tale of two cities". A great inner city, and CBD, and those "wasteland" suburbs. How long can these wasteland suburbs be swept under the rug before rearing their ugly head in terms of cbd and innercity violence?

So what do you think? Is it time for some political leadership, in order to tackle outer suburban infrastructure?

Doyle's lack of consultation is dissapointing

Is anybody else annoyed that the New Year's Eve fireworks display is being moved to Birrang Marr? The first I heard of this proposal was after the decision was made to go ahead with it. For such a significant change, surely this proposal should have been floated and debated publicly before a decision was made behind closed doors?As a proud Melburnian, I like to think we have an input it what shapes our city. What's next, moving Moomba to docklands ?

This seems to be endemic of the current Lord Mayor. Doyle seems like a good bloke, he gets ideas out there to be debated, but his failure on several key issues including the Melbourne City logo is damning against him and his team.

Message to Doyle and team. Consult us more. Get us involved.

Now, to the actual proposal. I think it has merit. The Commonwealth games showed that using our skyline as a backdrop to fireworks can have good results. I'm willing to give it a go, but would like the option to go back to Princess bridge and Flinder st, if the results are something to be desired.

VCA (M) Option B

Walked past the tent city outside of the VCA today, and couldn't help thinking about what alternatives the VCA has to maintain the integrity of it's school. Is it wishful thinking to believe with enough community pressure, Melbourne Uni will change it's mind and stop the merger of VCA and the faculty of music? (Especially given the university has lost millions in last year's financial meltdown). To the optimists, and to those that value the arts, I say no. There most definetly should be a fight.

However, given i'm a pragmatist, I have a tendancy to not place too much hope that the greater "good" will prevail, doubly so when there is large amounts of money involved. So what are the options? I think having two "silo" faculties divy up the funding is out of the question. If a merger is forced, the stakeholders need to look beyond the usual zero sum game, and look for innovative ways forward.

Is there a way to combine the strengths of the two faculties, and develop new courses utilizing both? Whilst, at the same time maintaining the "cores" of the respective faculties? Some may argue that these faculties are too specialized, and it's simply not possible. But I say, it's up to us, to define the undefined. Isn't that what arts/music is about?