Story and photo by Kim Spurway

SYDNEY -- “Living in Sydney” is the title of a conference being held here August 3-4 to address the issues raised by living in Australia's biggest city.

The conference is divided into panel sessions followed by workshops covering four main areas: environment, infrastructure, communities and government.

Initiated by the New Left Party, the conference has an organising committee which includes a broad range of groups and individuals. Sponsors include Jack Mundey, Shelter NSW, Heather Rice (Lucas Heights anti-nuclear campaigner), political economist Frank Stilwell and Caron Morrison of Coalition for Urban Transport Sanity.

“The conference came out of a perceived need for activists to get together and share ideas and strategies. We all have something to learn from each other and teach each other”, Tanya Ritchie, conference organiser, said.

Local government elections are to be held on September 14, and groups are preparing to organise to influence the agenda. Issues like air and water pollution, traffic congestion and public transport need to be addressed. The conference organisers hope to bring together resident activists, planners, environmentalists, local councillors and policy makers, community service workers, unionists, economists and people from the migrant, Aboriginal and lesbian and gay community.

A resource book for networking and referral is also to be compiled from the conference proceedings. Some other possibilities are an ongoing group concerned with ecologically sustainable development in Sydney and a network journal for local issues and communities.

The conference will be held on at TAFE College, 136 William St, Granville. Further information is available from Tanya Ritchie on (02) 267 6820.

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