School Zone Santa .Com

The story began in September when Railcorp told Mr Ng to pack up his family business at Sutherland Railway Station and leave:

This article appeared in the local Leader newspaper

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Kiosk owner to go to the top
10/09/2007 11:00:00 PM
SUTHERLAND Station kiosk owner Terence Ng said he had more than 1500 signatures on a petition begging RailCorp to let him keep the business.

Mr Ng has run the business since 2001 but was notified recently the kiosk would be removed as part of renovations at the station.

A RailCorp spokesman said the kiosk had to go in order to widen the concourse for safety and convenience reasons.

Mr Ng said his only avenue now was a direct appeal to the Transport Minister.

``The only way we can stay now is with the direct intervention of the Transport Minister,'' he said.

``RailCorp have told us we have to be out, but our customers obviously don't want the business to shut.

``We've gathered about 1500 signatures of support so far and we will present them to our local member of parliament, Barry Collier, this week.

``Hopefully, he can take them to the Transport Minister [John Watkins] on our behalf and the Minister can show us some mercy.''
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Another Leader article

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Some hope for kiosk
BY MARK O'BRIEN
4/10/2007 4:08:18 PM
THE fight to save the kiosk at Sutherland station has been taken up by Miranda MP Barry Collier.

Newsagency owner Terence Ng said he would be forced to vacate the kiosk by RailCorp as part of a renovation to widen the station's concourse.

Mr Ng collected almost 1800 signatures supporting his efforts to make the kiosk smaller rather than have it demolished.

He presented the petition to Mr Collier, who has now passed it on to Transport Minister John Watkins.

"I also met with Mr Watkins and a RailCorp executive and very firmly put Mr and Mrs Ng's case for keeping their news agency and convenience store at Sutherland station," Mr Collier said.

"I left the minister in no doubt as to the overwhelming community support for the keeping the shop, even on a smaller scale.

"While the minister made it quite clear that there were safety concerns about passenger congestion at Sutherland during peak periods that need addressing, he has asked RailCorp to further consider Mr Ng's proposal for a smaller shop on the station concourse.

"[Mr Watkins] has asked RailCorp to investigate the possibility of a small shop or retail concession on a platform.

"Mr Watkins has also told RailCorp to discuss other options with Mr Ng.

"I am advised by the minister that RailCorp will undertake this work expeditiously."

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That was October, in February there was a follow up article in the Leader that said that Mr Ng hadn't yet received paperwork from Railcorp so he could go to Council.

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I emailed the Leader

From: ........
To: leaderletters@fairfax.com.au
Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2008 8:46 AM
Subject: Why the delay ?

Dear sir,
What could be the reason for such a delay in Mr Terence Ng getting paperwork approval from Railcorp?
"Slow news months hurt" Leader (19 FE
He needs written consent so can proceed to the next step needed, to have his paper shop reopened at Sutherland railway station.
With a petition from commuter customers, the Leaders help and that of MP Collier, Railcorp HAD to allow Mr Ng to reopen his business.
Is it now a case of Railcorp dragging their feet because Mr Ng didn't just close up, but had the temerity to actually not wanting to loose his business?
Maybe Mr Collier could give the minister that oversees Railcorp a ring and get things moving for Mr Ng and his family

No doubt Mr Ng has bills to pay, and every day he can't trade, must be difficult for his family.
It almost seems to me, to be "payback" from Railcorp salaried fatcats punishing the little man.

Regards
Hans Stephens
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The Leader printed my letter, (minus the "salaried fat cats" line,) and Mr Collier rang me about 10 days later and said it's fixed up and it's going through council

Then in JULY!!!!!!! in the Leader

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Back in business: Sutherland Station Kiosk reopens
BY MARK O'BRIEN
9/07/2008 2:57:00 PM
SUTHERLAND railway station's kiosk is open for business again following a six-month closure.
he news kiosk was slated for removal by RailCorp as part of the overhaul of the station's concourse but was saved after an overwhelming response from The Leader readers and representations from Miranda MP Barry Collier.

Owner Terence Ng said his whole family was happy the kiosk was back in action.
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BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE

I take our two dogs for walkies in the Worinora cemetery and for weeks I saw this stall at the Sutherland Station

I stopped and asked the paper man what had happened to the Kiosk?

"Oh that opened last Monday on platform 1" he said.

It appeared that this man was selling papers and magazines to commuters before they entered the station, which isn't too good for the rent paying Railcorp tenant.

So I emailed the transport minister

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From: stephens1510 [mailto:stephens1510@optusnet.com.au]
Posted At: Thursday, 3 July 2008 10:12 AM
Posted To: Microsoft Office Outlook Embedded Message
Conversation: Sutherland railway staion paper shop.
Subject: Sutherland railway staion 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 wating 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 tacit approval for his stand, can I join him by setting up a healthy fruit stall next to him, to catch the increasing train patronage?

Mr Ng doesn't want to antagonise his landlord any further, he just wants to run his business without illegal competition.

My writing to you is totally my idea as 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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Back came the very next morning

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

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I responded

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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 ever is in charge there, if there has been an illegal paper stand set up near the station entrance every weekday morning for the last few weeks, .
If yes, tell/ask him/her to get security to move this person on if he comes back Monday morning.

Problem solved.

Yours faithfully
Hans Stephens

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MONDAY MORNING THE VENDOR AND HIS PORTABLE STAND WERE GONE, AND HAVE NOT BEEN BACK SINCE.

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This morning Monday 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 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.