http://www.abc.net.au/pm/s698446.htm
[Listen to this story [Requires Microsoft Media Player] - This is a transcript of PM broadcast at 1800 AEST on local radio.] WTO meeting causes trouble in Double Bay PM - Thursday, October 10, 2002 18:45 MARK COLVIN: It seems that a coalition of groups campaigning against a World Trade Organisation meeting in Sydney can already celebrate a famous victory, and all before the first arrest is made. The mere prospect of the anti-globalisation forces has persuaded the NSW Police Minister and his Sydney Area Commander to tell the Federal Government that the planned venue for the talks next month is unsuitable. That venue was supposed to be the five-star Sir Stamford Hotel in Double Bay in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs. But the Federal Government has ridiculed the pleas of local shopkeepers, who are worried about their boutiques and restaurants sustaining damage in the protests. Simon Santow reports. SIMON SANTOW: Double Bay is known by many in Sydney as "Double Pay", because there seems to be a surcharge just to shop or linger over a cup of coffee among high society. Rather than complaining about the rents, often the rationale shopkeepers use to justify their inflated prices, there's a great deal of disquiet among the traders about feral protestors invading their streets. Local Chamber of Commerce President and real estate agent, Danny Doff. DANNY DOFF: I think it's absolute madness that you hold an event like this in Double Bay. I mean, I can't see a better spot to provoke anti-global capitalism, anti-capitalism than in Double Bay with the rows of Armani and Gucci stores and Harry Who and you just have a look around. They're all, they are all these boutique stores that just convey capitalism. SIMON SANTOW: DB's coffee shop has glass windows and is not far from where the talks are scheduled to take place. Co-owner Paul Kerr hasn't lost his sense of humour about the prospect of having to deal with protestors. PAUL KERR: The only thing that they could probably protest to us is probably the price of our coffee (laughs), and we just provide a service and if people are prepared to come in and utilise it, then we're prepared to serve them. We'd actually, actually encourage them to sit down and enjoy the ambience of Double Bay. A long way from the civilised ambience of Double Bay are the images and sounds of Melbourne two years ago, when the WTO came to town and the protestors took them on on day dubbed S-11. (protestors and police) STEVE SANTOW: The fear is that there will be even more anger because Double Bay is not exactly the paragon of socialism. One of the brains behind S-11 in Melbourne was David Glanz. He's definitely planning on coming to Sydney in November to make more anti-globalisation noise. DAVID GLANZ: I think they certainly should be aware of the fact that some thousands of people are going to descend on their suburb and make opposition to the agenda of the World Trade Organisation very clear. That's certainly going to involve attempts at filling the streets, blockading the perimeter. It will depend concretely on the circumstances, but certainly we'll see some thousands of people in Double Bay over a period of two of three days. If the shops lose business which I think is obviously their biggest problem, that will be collateral damage and they will have to pin that back on the World Trade Organisation, presumably the State Government and the Federal Government and the police for choosing that venue. But we're not going there to disrupt shops. We're going there to disrupt the agenda of the World Trade Organisation. STEVE SANTOW: NSW Police Minister, Michael Costa, made this plea to the Federal Government to abandon Double Bay as a venue. MICHAEL COSTA: Today I've written to the Federal minister, Vaile, asking him to consider moving the location for this particular activity. Well, the police have advised that they have obviously, following the Olympics, experience at handling large crowds and also these types of meeting. I have full confidence in our police officers to be able to handle the situation. But it helps if the people that are organising consult with our police and more importantly take their advice. STEVE SANTOW: His police commander, Dick Adams concedes that police will have to cope with protestors wherever the talks take place. DICK ADAMS: There are areas that we would be able to better prepare, areas that we are able to isolate from the general community and will have access and egress routes. One of the big problems here as was experienced in other cities in the world, especially in Seattle, Washington in the United States where a similar conference of a similar nature was held is that they will try and barricade off a number of the streets. We have to get the delegates in and out of this place. If we are unable to do so that's going to not only affect the reputation of NSW, but of course Australia's international reputation. And we've got to make sure that we can do it with safety and this is not a place of our choosing. STEVE SANTOW: So what does the Federal Government make of the pressure to move the talks from Double Bay? Trade Minister, Mark Vaile. MARK VAILE: Of course we've got to be guided by the NSW Police Force, but I mean it's beginning to seem as though we need to ask the question. I mean is the city that was able to host the Olympic Games now not able to host a meeting of 25 trade ministers for one day? You know, I'm a bit concerned about that aspect of it. But it's certainly, you know, I'd be pleased to hear from the NSW Minister now where he thinks that the NSW Police Force can confidently provide security. MARK COLVIN: Conference host, trade minister, Mark Vaile and the reporter was Simon Santow. ************************************************************************** http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/s698386.htm [Listen to this story [Requires Microsoft Media Player] - This is a transcript of The World Today broadcast at 1200 AEST on local radio.] Double Bay scheduled to host WTO meeting The World Today - Thursday, October 10, 2002 12:53 ELEANOR HALL: Well as Australia prepares to host next month's World Trade Organisation meeting, organisers are being confronted with a serious case of not in my backyard from those in the suburb selected to host the meeting. There is confusion, anger and even tears from traders in Sydney's exclusive Double Bay today after they were told that the WTO meeting is scheduled to be held at a five star hotel in the heart of the well-to-do suburb. Indeed the reaction has been so extreme that now the government intends to ask Federal Trade Minister Mark Vaile to choose an alternative venue. Here's Jo Mazzocchi. JO MAZZOCCHI: I'm standing in the heart of Double Bay, one of the most exclusive areas of Sydney. It's a shopping precinct where the rich and famous congregate and I'm outside the Stamford Plaza Hotel where the WTO meeting is going to be held, even though the hotel says that's still not confirmed. With me is Double Bay real estate agent and president of the Chamber of Commerce Danny Doff. DANNY DOFF: The whole of Double Bay has always got that feel of village atmosphere and a nice place to come and have a coffee and relax. I've grown up in Double Bay, I went to school in Double Bay here and I've lived my whole life around this area and I love it. JO MAZZOCCHI: In a sense Double Bay represents the very heart of capitalism, with some of the most beautiful stalls in Sydney, if not the country. And there is a concern, by some traders, that it will simply egg on the protestors? DANNY DOFF: I definitely think so. I mean I think it's absolute madness that you hold an event like this in Double Bay. I can't see a better spot to provoke any global capitalism than in Double Bay, with the rows of Armani and Gucci stores and Harry Who. You just have a look around at all these boutique stores that just convey capitalism. JO MAZZOCCHI: Do you have a view of where it should be held, if not in Double Bay then where? DANNY DOFF: Eastern Creek. JO MAZZOCCHI: I don't think somehow you're going to get that wish. Do you? DANNY DOFF: Well I think it should be in an area where you're not going to have. You've seen in Melbourne the troubles they've had in Melbourne and all over the world, I suppose, it's very hard to know where exactly a trade conference like should be held. JO MAZZOCCHI: I am now in one of Double Bay's most popular streets, Knox Street, and I'm speaking to Paul Kerr, one of the owners of a restaurant called Dee Bees. Paul Kerr what's your view on this WTO meeting? PAUL KERR: I think if it highlights the suburb as being a good place to be and a good place to come and it brings extra business then so be it. JO MAZZOCCHI: I mean you have beautiful, very large glass windows at the front of your restaurant, are you not concerned that perhaps some of these protestors may want to damage? PAUL KERR: Well I don't think, the only thing they could probably protest to us is the price of our coffee [laughs]. JO MAZZOCCHI: How much is your coffee? PAUL KERR: It's only $3.50, the same as everywhere else. I don't think I would be under threat. We don't pose a threat to anyone, we just provide a service. And if people are prepared to come in and utilise it then we're prepared to serve them. JO MAZZOCCHI: So you don't intend to wear riot gear as you serve coffee? PAUL KERR: No certainly not. We'd actually encourage them to sit out and enjoy the ambience of Double Bay. JO MAZZOCCHI: I'm now in another street of Double Bay called Bay Street, and I'm speaking to John Serafino, who's a leading fashion house here in Double Bay. Mr Serafino what's your view on this? JOHN SERAFINO: It will be very damaging for our trade and image of Double Bay should not this happen. JO MAZZOCCHI: If it's not held in Double Bay, do you have a view where the meeting should be held? JOHN SERAFINO: I think they should be in Bondi Beach so they can scream and strap themselves into the sand and jump to the water and cool off all this anger they have. I think this would be the best place to be. JO MAZZOCCHI: Would it lead you to close down your shop here, what would you do? JOHN SERAFINO: If something like this happen, would be a setback for me. I have grown up here, been a long time and I don't think I should. [Getting upset] JOHN SERAFINO: The community here in Double Bay, they're entitled to know those things. They can't just walk in and do whatever they want. We live here they don't. ELEANOR HALL: The emotion from Double Bay trader John Serefino, speaking there to Jo Mazzocchi. -- Transcripts on this website are created by an independent transcription service. The ABC does not warrant the accuracy of the transcripts. ABC Online users are advised to listen to the audio provided on this page to verify the accuracy of the transcripts. ########################################################################## The Anti-WTO mobilisation also triggers events in Aotearoa (NZ)... GLOBAL PEACE AND JUSTICE AUCKLAND NEWSLETTER #11, October 10, 2002 [..] Monday, November 4, 7.30pm, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd, Grey Lynn GPJA Forum: "The WTO, GATT's and Privatisation". Hear Jane Kelsey (ARENA), Penny Bright (Water Pressure Group) and others. A WTO ministerial meeting is planned for November in Australia and pressure is building for extending privatisation (in the form of so-called public-private partnerships) into roading, water, health and education services. What's wrong with these plans and what can be done to stop it? See "The Last Frontier: Explaining GATT's" by Claude Barlow http://www.theecologist.co.uk/archive_article.html?article=151 [..] Website http://www.gpja.pl.net/ Contact details: Forums: John Minto, (09) 8463173, [EMAIL PROTECTED] Newsletter Editor: Mike Treen, 0212547440, [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web page: Geraldine Peters, (09) 3570655, [EMAIL PROTECTED] Donations can be sent to GPJA, 84 Paice Ave, Sandringham, Auckland. All communication regarding the GPJA mailing list (email or snail) should be addressed to [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Sub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
