One for IanB:...
One for IanB: https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/students-academics-battle-opening-of-liberal-backed-institute-at-melbourne-uni-20210721-p58bna.html
I think Sydney residents overwhelmingly enjoyed hosting the games in 2000 - it was a very special few weeks. Unfortunately, after the party moved on, few of the promised benefits eventuated. There was no change in tourism numbers, beyond the previously established growth rate. No change in international investment, the rush of overseas apartment buyers had already started with the HK handover and didn't stop until WuFlu. Drive around our Olympic Park today and you'll see a slightly shabby area of high rise apartment blocks and deserted arenas. The big stadiums get used but not much else. Has anyone here visited the (hugely expensive) equestrian centre since 2000? The rowing centre at Penrith? All of that investment in Sydney was money that wasn't spent in Wollongong, Newcastle, Orange, Bathurst, etc, etc. We still don't have a divided highway all the way from Sydney to Brisbane, to name but one piece of non-Sydney infrastructure. What we did get after the games was toll roads everywhere, so that an average person living in a modest north-western suburb has to pay $30 for a round trip to the CBD. So good luck Brisbane. Anastasia will be long gone, but the payments will last forever.
I don't know about you, but I look at this photo and just want to snot the guy. Image Unavailable, Please Login
The road from Sydney to Brisbane is well over 90 Patcent dual carriage road, most of which has happened in the last 10 years, I know because I drove it many times and noticed the upgrades as they happened, the New England was always my choice due to the crappy HWY 1 but it is now a pleasure to drive . I use to go out to the water centre near Penrith a lot but it is only lightly used from the half dozen visits I did to muck around in the water. Sydney has been ruined by the influx of out-of-towners, it was never pleasant to drive around even 50 years ago and who's fault was it for not putting a railway line in to the north-west ... hold it there is a railwway line so what you're saying is these people are causing their own problem and are willing to pay for it ? Interesting, probably from watching Jones and Credlin on Sky, that fountain of knowledge , truth and justice .....
I’m not a fan of the Olympics but since most of the intrastrucure already exists (and they’ve got 11 years to get everything up todate) I’m not much bothered this.
The Penrith regatta centre The icing on the cake is the. . Penrith white water rafting centre, both ghost towns
RIP "Strop" https://www.smh.com.au/culture/celebrity/a-classic-australian-character-john-cornell-dies-at-80-20210723-p58c94.html