Ever since starting this website I have tried to be as accurate as possible.

Information from newspapers or other media is of course only as accurate as the reporting.

I was told yesterday that the piece of footpath where the illegal paper stand had been trading at Sutherland Station IS SUTHERLAND COUNCIL RESPONSIBILITY, they (council staff) told me it belonged to Railcorp.

The room on platform one that now is the reopened paper kiosk was not redecorated by railcorp, the tenant had to that, Railcorp only took six months to remove a signal box from an inside wall of that room.

Six months to remove a switch box !!!!!

Congratulations Railcorp.

This morning taking my dogs for their walk I see that the illegal paper stall at Sutherland station wasn't set up in it's usual spot on Railcorp property.

The vendor instead had it set up on the footpath outside his newsagency which is now a council problem.

What a lot of nonsense, how many desks did it have to go to till someone at Railcorp picked up the phone to tell Sutherland railway security to just ask this chap to cease and desist.

I hope that all this nonsense doesn't impact in any way on Mr Ng, as I said all he wants to do is run a business to provide for his family.

----- Original Message -----
From: Deputy Premier
To: stephens1510
Sent: Friday, July 04, 2008 10:21 AM
Subject: RE: Sutherland railway station paper shop.

Dear Mr Stephens,

Thank you for your email. We appreciate the time you took to send us your comments.

The matters you have raised will be investigated as quickly as possible and a reply will be forwarded to you.

Yours sincerely,
Jenny Johnson

Private Secretary
Office of John Watkins MP
NSW Deputy Premier
Minister for Transport
Minister for Finance
Ph: 9228 4866
Fx: 9228 4855
Em: dp.office@watkins.minister.nsw.gov.au
www.nsw.gov.au
www.131500.com.au

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I REPLIED
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----- Original Message -----
From: Info@SchoolZoneSanta
To: Deputy Premier
Sent: Friday, July 04, 2008 2:02 PM
Subject: Re: Sutherland railway staion paper shop.

Dear Ms Johnson ,
Thank you for your prompt reply.
It should take very little time to investigate if a person is operating an illegal business on Railcorp property at Sutherland railway station.
Ring the Sutherland Railway station and ask who's in charge there, if there has been a paper stand set up near the station entrance every weekday morning for the last few weeks, .
If yes tell/ask him to get security to move this person on if he comes back Monday morning.

Problem solved.

Yours faithfully
Hans Stephens
www.schoolzonesanta.com

________________

Will the paper stall be there next Monday?

Why did I stick my nose into someone else's business?

The same reason I dressed up in a Santa suit, to try and help stop ordinary people being shafted.

If after Railcorp agreed to relocate Mr Ng's business why did it to six months redecorate a second bedroom size room.

And why has it taken so long to move along a trespasser?

Driving North over the Tom Uglys, for months there has been graffiti on the steelwork on the bridge in a number of places.

Its well known the idea is to paint over graffiti straight away, so that the vandalism doesn't get exposure.

They are still painting the bridge (a year after they were to have it finished) why wouldn't someone take a brush or roller and repaint the graffiti ed areas?

How long would it take, have they no pride in the work they've done?

Does it needs an upper house committee to work out who does it.
I took the photo by parking in the lane that was closed for the painters on cherry pickers painting upper steel work.

I asked a safety vested man carrying a stop sign who came over to see why I'd dared to stop there, why no one had overpainted the graffiti and he said it had been discussed but you know, it's the RTA.
..................................................................
UPDATE 14 July
Last week I had a letter in The Leader about the graffiti on the bridge but it's still there, maybe the painters can't read.

I've just sent this email to the Transport Minister maybe he can ring the right person, if that doesn't work, maybe 2GB's Alan Jones could help.
He was talking about the failed T card this morning and if Railcorp can't move on a paper stall how can they orgainize a ticketing system?

Then if need be, I'll construct a fruit stall.

-----
Original Message -----
From: stephens1510
To: ryde@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Sent: Thursday, July 03, 2008 10:12 AM
Subject: Sutherland railway station paper shop.

Dear Mr Watkins,
I think it would have been better to contact you in the first place.
Last December railcorp told the paper shop owner at the Sutherland station he had close and go because of "renovations"
After a petition by commuter customers, help from Mr Barry Collier MP and the Leader Newspaper, railcorp relented and after SIX months, (the time it took to strip a 12ft x 12ft room, paint it and put a sink in a corner) the owners were back in business.
The poor owners had to find casual work to make ends meet while Railcorp took their time to set up this room.
I have contacted Railcorp three times in ten days to ask why a person has been allowed to set up a paper stand near the entrance to the station which is pinching custom from the legal rent paying tenants.
My concerns have been "passed on" and meanwhile the rent paying tenants are being disadvantaged once again through Railcorp's (hopefully not malicious) procrastination.
The legal tenant Mr Ng is also waiting for a reply from Railcorp.
Railcorp told Mr Ng earlier that it was council land, Sutherland council told me that it is Railcorp land.
Is Railcorp punishing Mr Ng because he dared stand up for himself and not meekly close up his business when told to?
As there is obvious doubt who controls the pavement outside the station, and as this paper seller must have has tacit approval for his stand, can I join him by up setting a healthy fruit stall next to him to catch the increasing train patronage.
Mr Ng doesn't want to antagonise his landlord any further but he just wants to run his business without illegal competition.
My writing to you is my idea I just can't stand a "little" person being trampled on.
More information and photo on
www.schoolzonesanta.com

Yours faithfully
Hans Stephens
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Update 5.40 pm 3 July

Mr Ng rang me to say that Railcorp has admitting to owning the land where the above illegal stall is trading.
He also mentioned his lawyer.

After waiting 6 months for Railcorop to get their act together, don't tell me he had to pay a lawyer to get a result.

There has to be a "Today Tonight" story in all this.