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Hello again Fintan.
Firstly, thank you for your acknowledgement and especially so in so much as you clearly articulate Council’s positioning relative to ‘purposefulness’ and the TOPdown modelling that applies to corporate planning and strategics at Town Hall. Also, it is edifying to note that ’strategically’ LANDuse is siloed in Town Hall’s strategic planning and presumably that is endorsed by the ‘elected 12’ – the governors albeit that it's a 'governance role' to be driving policy making and strategics first-and-foremost. All that is another story that goes back decades.
As for LANDuse issues, there is a need to address the four human imperatives:
The need for access to clean air, clean water, and sufficient food to sustain life; and
The need for individuals, groups, and connected groups to identify and be identifiable; and
The need to procreate – genetically and ideologically; and
The need for safe and secure shelter within which to satisfy the other imperatives.
To an extent the capacity of 'a place’ to meet these imperatives can be assessed as a DESKtop exercise and remotely by ‘expert strategists’ but, as was demonstrated in Kerala in the1970s, it is more effective to engage with the people who have ‘domain knowledge’ and who occupy places and understand them as ’home'.
Even though much can be extrapolated from ITmethodologies, NOTHING and NOBODY is as informed as a place’s inhabitants. Say, if there is a need to know, what properties in a neighbourhood are vacant, or inhabitable and for whatever reason, the ’domain knowledge’ is held by those who regard ’the place’ as their HOMEplace will no doubt be compelling.
Moreover, this domain knowledge in combination with the ‘experts' knowledge’ delivers compelling data – more informed strategies to enable more effective placemaking. IF for example, one wanted/needed to know how many dwellings in a neighbourhood were coloured GREEN & HOW then Kerala style ‘research’ is ever likely to deliver the most useful data. To quote I have this in mind:
"A feature of the KERALAmodel is that it is arguably a BOTTOMup community initiative that relies upon the community’s ‘exemplary literacy levels’. ….. In India Kerala stands out as an exemplar with other nations still trying to achieve its goals. Kerala maintains one of the highest literacy rates in India, with estimates currently ranging between95.3% and 96.2%. Approximately 50% of working-age Tasmanians (aged 15 to 74)are considered functionally illiterate. This indicates that they struggle with daily tasks requiring basic literacy, such as filling out forms, reading medical instructions, or navigating modern digital demands. …. In Tasmania this adds some perspective to LANDuse management given the paucity of PLANETawareness and LANDliteracy. That leads to the lack of understanding of resource management matters. … Consider initiating a People's Resource Mapping Program (PRMP), and mobilising people to undertake a resource inventory in Tasmania for a moment. Given that anything resembling a Citizen's Assembly/Jury has been – and on the record – assiduously resisted bureaucratically and politically. Indeed, arguably in Lutruwita/Tasmania it is something that is unlikely to be contemplated anytime soon given the shadow of colonialism that falls upon the island’s ‘placedness’ and histories. “ … BACKLINK
So, the question hanging is, why are bureaucratic functionaries so antithetic to gaining this class of knowledge in this way!? In the vernacular … ‘blowins are blowins '
As you suggest I will explore these matters further, and I will be contacting the Corporate Planning and Strategy team to that end.
Should you have more to say on the issue of LAND use and/or LAND literacy I’d be very interested in your thoughts.
Regards,
Ray Norman
Polemicist, Cultural Producer, Cultural Geographer, Researcher
The lifestyle design enterprise and research network
PH: 0488 011 376
eMAIL: raynorman7250@gmail.com
40 Delamere Cres Trevallyn TAS 7250
WEBsites: http://www.raynorman7250.blogspot.com
“A body of men holding themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by anybody.” Thomas Paine
“The standard you walk past is the standard you accept” David Morrison
Consultant
https://raynorman7250.blogspot.com/p/zingconsult.html
https://notrubbish.blogspot.com/
I acknowledge the First Peoples – the Traditional Owners of the lands where we live and work, and recognise their continuing connection to land, water and community. I pay respect to Elders – past, present and emerging – and acknowledge the important role Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continue to play within the research zingHOUSEunlimited undertakes
From: Fintan Langan-Clarke <Fintan.Langan-Clarke@launceston.tas.gov.au>
Date: Wednesday, 22 April 2026 at 1:00 pm
To: raynorman7250@gmail.com <raynorman7250@gmail.com>
Subject: PERSONAL COMMUNICATION: Documentary ... Working Title ... PLACEmaking
Good afternoon Mr Norman,
I am writing to acknowledge receipt of your email dated 16 April regarding your proposed documentary and your questions about a “statement of purpose” for the City of Launceston’s Strategic Plan.
As noted in our previous discussions, my expertise is in strategic land use planning rather than organisational or corporate planning, which is the context referred to in your email. That said, the City of Launceston’s Corporate Strategic Plan sets out what Council seeks to achieve by providing a clear framework for delivery, governance, and accountability (see extract from the plan below).
The actions included in the Four Year Delivery Plan seek to deliver the Plan’s goals and overall vision while also enabling performance to be monitored through KPIs and reported to the community via annual reporting and other mechanisms.
If you would like to explore these matters further, I recommend contacting the Corporate Planning and Strategy team via contactus@launceston.tas.gov.au.
I trust this information is of assistance.
Regards
Fintan
Date: Monday, 20 April 2026 at 9:05 pm
To: Dean Edsall <Dean.Edsall@launceston.tas.gov.au>
Subject: RE: Cottage - 62 Gorge Road Trevallyn
Good afternoon Dean,
Thank you for email in response to my request for access to
62 Gorge Road Trevallyn, is arguably a significant heritage property of interest to a growing
Community of Ownership & Interest (
COI). Given your advice a number of issues arise that I’d/we'd appreciate some clarification on. This is information that does not seem to be available and accessible.
Is this cottage solely under the jurisdiction of the City of Launceston without any inhibitions or restrictions?
Is there any evidence of this property at 62 Gorge Road Trevallyn ever being assessed for heritage listing on Councils records, or indeed anywhere else?
Given that the "cottage presents a number of significant safety risks”, is it safe to assume that anyone ‘expressing an interest’ in it might only be granted access provided that, they personally took all the appropriate precautions as would any "appropriately qualified and licensed [professional]” and did presumably during the property’s assessment for Council?
Is it anticipated that a council officer will be supervising inspections by any interested parity during the expressions of interest process and how might anyone discover that and any conditions that might apply?
Will interested parties be required to provide their own safety protection when and if council permits them to inspect the property during the expressions of interest in response to council’s advertisement?
Would anyone entering the property’s grounds prior to the expressions of interest process be regarded as trespasses?
In the event that this property is demolished, who will be supervising its demolition?
In the event that this property is demolished, who will be supervising the appropriate management of the recoverable resources invested in it?
In the event that this property is demolished, what conditions will apply to the management of the recoverable resources invested in it?
In the event that this property is relocated who will be supervising its relocation and at what cost?
How and when, in the cause of transparency and accountability, will council be keeping ratepayers et al informed of any developments in regard to 62 Gorge Road Trevallyn's, relocation, demolition and/or these things for any other property of interest to the community and a property’s COI?
I look forward to your response as it will assist considerably in our efforts to interrogate issues to do with
PLACEmaking for
HOMEmaking and environmental sustainability. Having focused on the issue of sustainable communities and Australia’s housing crisis our network aims to be proactively engaged – see
https://placemakinghomeplaces.blogspot.com/
Interestingly, the Australian Institute is currently pointing out that Australia’s housing stock is more than adequate to meet the nation’s needs, it is just the case that too large portion of the nation's housing stock is owned by investors. ‘Governance' – Federal, State and in particular Local Govt – is said to be a vector in this dystopia. Moreover, speculatively, rightly or wrongly, many of these “investors” are also said to be close associates off elected representatives and the elected representatives.
Also, it is said, rightly or wrongly, that many are working in 'public service’ and are investing privately in ‘property’.
There is no suggestion that any of this is illegal or otherwise untoward, it just the case that it seems to be a factor in Australia’s housing crisis. I/we look forward to your response given all that is at stake.
Regards,
Regards,
Ray Norman
Polemicist, Cultural Producer, Cultural Geographer, Researcher
The lifestyle design enterprise and research network
PH: 0488 376
eMAIL: raynorman7250@gmail.com
Delamere Cres Trevallyn TAS 7250
WEBsites: http://www.raynorman7250.blogspot.com
“A body of men holding themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by anybody.” Thomas Paine
“The standard you walk past is the standard you accept” David Morrison
Consultant
https://raynorman7250.blogspot.com/p/zingconsult.html
https://notrubbish.blogspot.com/
I acknowledge the First Peoples – the Traditional Owners of the lands where we live and work, and recognise their continuing connection to land, water and community. I pay respect to Elders – past, present and emerging – and acknowledge the important role Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continue to play within the research zingHOUSEunlimited undertakes
From: Dean Edsall <Dean.Edsall@launceston.tas.gov.au>
Date: Monday, 20 April 2026 at 1:38 pm
To: raynorman7250@gmail.com <raynorman7250@gmail.com>
Subject: Cottage - 62 Gorge Road Trevallyn
Dear Mr Norman,
Thank you for your recent request regarding access to the cottage at 62 Gorge Road, Trevallyn, and for outlining your interest in undertaking filming and obtaining a second opinion on the condition of the building.
The City of Launceston has carefully considered your request with advice from our governance team and senior technical officers. Based on the information currently available, the cottage presents a number of significant safety risks, including issues identified through assessments undertaken by appropriately qualified and licensed professionals. For this reason, The City of Launceston is not in a position to approve access to the building for the purposes you have outlined.
While the City of Launceston is not obliged to provide access, we have considered whether access could be entertained subject to appropriate safety controls. At this stage, establishing controls that would adequately manage the identified risks would involve a substantial undertaking and has not been demonstrated as being practically achievable.
Council has resolved to progress an expression-of-interest (EOI) process for the removal and potential repurposing of the building. Granting access to an individual party outside of this process could provide an unfair advantage and compromise the integrity and equity of the forthcoming EOI process. This process will be open to the broader community, and you would be welcome to participate should you wish.
I appreciate your interest in this matter and trust this clarifies Council’s position. Please contact The City of Launceston's customer service team should you require further information.
Regards,
Dean
Dean Edsall
Executive Leader Community Assets and Design | |
|
|
|
FOR RICHARD JAMISON’S ATTENTION
FOR YOUR INFORMATION &CONSIDERATION
From: Ray Norman <raynorman7250@gmail.com>
Date: Thursday, 2 April 2026 at 11:14 am
To: Sharin.Imlach@launceston.tas.gov.au<sharin.imlach@launceston.tas.gov.au>
Subject: Opportunity of Ratepayers Inspection 62 Gorge Road Trevallyn
Good morning Sharin,
Thank you for your advice on the phone this morning in response to my question regarding there being an opportunity for a ratepayer’s inspection at 62 Gorge Road Trevallyn. Given the circumstances your advice needs to be known by all concerned.
Your advice that it is not a possibility at this time (paraphrased) is noted and I will advise interested parties coming to me that this is/was your advice.
Regards,
Ray Norman
Polemicist, Cultural Producer, Cultural Geographer, Researcher
The lifestyle design enterprise and research network
PH: 0488 011 376
eMAIL: raynorman7250@gmail.com
40 Delamere Cres Trevallyn TAS 7250
WEBsites: http://www.raynorman7250.blogspot.com
“A body of men holding themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by anybody.” Thomas Paine
“The standard you walk past is the standard you accept” David Morrison
Consultant
https://raynorman7250.blogspot.com/p/zingconsult.html
https://notrubbish.blogspot.com/
I acknowledge the First Peoples – the Traditional Owners of the lands where we live and work, and recognise their continuing connection to land, water and community. I pay respect to Elders – past, present and emerging – and acknowledge the important role Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continue to play within the research zingHOUSEunlimited undertakes
…………………………….
Good afternoon & Thank you!!
I'm in the process of developing a proposal for a documentary around this issue and I would appreciate you passing this link to –https://placemakinghomeplaces.blogspot.com/ – Cr. Gibson along with a request from me for an interview.
Regards,
Ray Norman
Good Morning Mr Norman
Councillor Gibson acknowledges your email below.
Regards
From: Dean Edsall <Dean.Edsall@launceston.tas.gov.au>
Date: Monday, 20 April 2026 at 1:38 pm
To: raynorman7250@gmail.com <raynorman7250@gmail.com>
Subject: Cottage - 62 Gorge Road Trevallyn
Dear Mr Norman,
Thank you for your recent request regarding access to the cottage at 62 Gorge Road, Trevallyn, and for outlining your interest in undertaking filming and obtaining a second opinion on the condition of the building.
The City of Launceston has carefully considered your request with advice from our governance team and senior technical officers. Based on the information currently available, the cottage presents a number of significant safety risks, including issues identified through assessments undertaken by appropriately qualified and licensed professionals. For this reason, The City of Launceston is not in a position to approve access to the building for the purposes you have outlined.
While the City of Launceston is not obliged to provide access, we have considered whether access could be entertained subject to appropriate safety controls. At this stage, establishing controls that would adequately manage the identified risks would involve a substantial undertaking and has not been demonstrated as being practically achievable.
Council has resolved to progress an expression-of-interest (EOI) process for the removal and potential repurposing of the building. Granting access to an individual party outside of this process could provide an unfair advantage and compromise the integrity and equity of the forthcoming EOI process. This process will be open to the broader community, and you would be welcome to participate should you wish.
I appreciate your interest in this matter and trust this clarifies Council’s position. Please contact The City of Launceston's customer service team should you require further information.
Regards,
Dean
Dean Edsall
Executive Leader Community Assets and Design | | |
| |
|
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Good morning XXX CoL,
Thank you for time yesterday and especially so as it seems that my call caught you somewhat unawares! You’ll see some backgrounding here and when I have more to add to it I’ll pass it on.
I put it to you that there is considerable utility in conducting Kerala style resource assessments. What’s more, there is every prospect of it being COSTeffective. However, I do acknowledge that PRMP wouldn’t easily comply with a hierarchical management structure such as is in operation at Launceston' Town Hall’s. That is given that over decades now the city’s management is on the record as being antithetic to anything that looks like 'deliberative democracy’ and especially so where and when 'the governed’ have a direct role to play in their governance.
As for the strategic relationships between 'the governed’ and governance this reference may be of some interest:
As for Communities of Ownership & Interest here is a reference that it seems you have not seen and thus not aware of:
Strategically, and on the subject of planning for autonomous HOMEplaces, this post has something to say that may have something of interest to say about LANDuse planning:
As for the City of Launceston’s Strategic Plan I am still unable to divine a succinct ’Statement of Purpose’ but if you can put me to right on that I’d be very happy to receive your advice – or indeed anyone else’s advice.
However I have gleaned this from Council's documentation online … "The Strategic Plan is based on extensive community and key stakeholder engagement carried out over recent years. Councillors reviewed this engagement and, combined with their own understanding of community needs, shaped the vision. Council staff and external experts then collaborated with Councillors to refine specific goals, objectives, and actions based on the city’s strengths and opportunities.” … No reference here to do with Council’s 'purposefulness' – AKA raison deter – to which Key Performance Indicators can be meaningfully applied! “Visions”are elastic and ephemeral, thus it is not realistic to apply KPI to them.
I submit that it is a strategic mistake not to have a clear and unequivocal ’statement of purpose’ against which performance outcomes can be assessed in an open and transparent manner. Clearly you seem hold another point of view and that is as it is.
Within the documentation it is also quite clear that Council seeks to serve some of its constituency, namely “stakeholders" with investments at stake, more overtly than others – and that is discriminatory as well as being demonstrable. Moreover, it is demonstrable that the ‘Council’ is antithetic to the inclusive concept of “Community of Ownership & Interest”!
Speculatively. might I respectfully suggest as a statement of purpose … “The City of Launceston’s purpose is to facilitate the provision of safe and secure places within which people may make their homes and carry out their enterprises” _ 27 words. I offer this fully cognisant of the fact that it is clearly NOT your or indeed ‘management’s’ role to determine Council’s purpose. That is a matter to be determined by ‘governance'. That said ‘management’ has a clear and present role in providing expert advice to governance and consequently implementing ‘governance’s’ policy and strategic determinations once they have been made– public administration 101.
A quote by someone who I understand to be a quintessential PLACEmaker – and someone who I regard very positively. She said to do with PLACEmaking … “ Humanity cannot perform miracles but it is possible for people to create the circumstances within which they may and can happen.” … Winifred West Winifred Mary West CBE (1881 – 1971) Australian educationist.
She was also often known to say that conversely people can and do 'purposefully inhibit' miraculous PLACEmaking – as we stand on the cusp of a world catastrophe she might be regarded as a visionary today in regard to the despoiling of the planet and the consequent encroaching dystopia that is coming out of war mongering.
I would appreciate YOUR direct acknowledgement of this in the cause of accountability and transparency, as well as being able to report that YOU at least have been made aware the of the planning in train for a documentary to do with PLACEmaking for HOMEmaking - CULTURALlandscaping cum LANDuse and its context.
Regards,
Ray Norman
Polemicist, Cultural Producer, Cultural Geographer, Researche
The lifestyle design enterprise and research network
PH: 0488 011 376
eMAIL: raynorman7250@gmail.com
Delamere Cres Trevallyn TAS 7250
WEBsites: http://www.raynorman7250.blogspot.com
“A body of men holding themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by anybody.” Thomas Paine
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