Khoshaba Replies
Well, the councillor replied. He clarified that you probably would have to spit at someone to receive the maximum fine which seems a tad more reasonable. What worried me was his campaign was for spitting yet he couldn't spell "saliva"...
I'll copy all the responses straight from what he emailed to me:
Q1. How long has this concern been amongst the Fairfield community?
This has been a concern throughout all of sydney for decades. Several years ago people used to chew tobacco and spit it out. This matter has been raised several times through Fairfield Council, but I beleive (sic) this is the first anti spitting campaign arranged.
Q2. Do you expect the trial ban to be stretched after the six month period?
We have received alot of support for this campaign and I beleive it will continue after the 6 month trial period.
Q3. You noted that the ban arose because it is a disgusting habit. What is your stance on handing down such a large fine on what can be coined as socially unacceptable behaviour?
It's not just discusting (sic), it's also a public health issue. It's never been about issueing (sic) fines, it's more about education and creating awareness that this behaviour should not and will not be tolerated. Ibeleive (sic) this campaign is working.
Q4. Why is the fine so large ($1,100) in comparison to acts which some may view as so much more detrimental ie. drink driving?
The actual fine for spitting is $110 and a maximum of $1100. You would probably have to spit at someone to receive a maximum penalty. Please note that its (sic) not just for the spitting of seliva (sic), but any form of spitting (i.e spitting of chewing gum etc)
Still Waiting...
I wanted to get a response from the councillor himself, Ninos Khoshaba regarding all the issues which have come up ever since the motion was passed. I sent him an email last week but there's still no response. I will probably update on his response when it comes through, but for the time being, I'll just post up the questions which I sent:
1. How long has this concern [spitting in public] been amongst the Fairfield community?
2. Do you expect the trial ban to be stretched after the six month period?
3. You noted that the ban arose because it is a disgusting habit. What is your stance on handing down such a large fine on what can be coined as socially unacceptable behaviour?
4. Why is the fine so large ($1,100) in comparison to acts which some may view as so much more detrimental ie. drink driving?
Parking Fines – A Great Source of Revenue
The local Fairfield newspaper, Fairfield Advance, ran a story on the net revenue the council was making in the year 2005/06, ranking it as the ninth-biggest parking fine collector in NSW. According to figures, motorists were paying more than $2.5 million in parking infringements which is a 60.92 per cent rise in a year compared to the $1.6 million in 2004/05.
The Mayor, Nick Lalich diverted the rise, comparing it with the 2003/04 figures which were about $2.3 million, which made the 2005/06 rise only a small increase. So why the drop during 2004/05?
“The reason the figure for 2004/2005 was lower is partly because during that period there were staff vacancies,” said Lalich.
Parking fine revenue does seem to be a juicy method of gaining revenue for councils. Applying it back to the case of Fairfield council, it really does draw a connection between why the problem with lack of parking, especially around Cabramatta, has been ignored for so long.
For Comparison's Sake
I stumbled across this blog. He had gathered some fascinating statistics regarding quirky Council fines:
‘$1,200 fine letting your dog foul the footpath (Brisbane Council), $1,100 fine for spitting on the footpath (Fairfield Council NSW), $375 for putting up a poster and only $60 fine for putting lives at risk by blocking the footpath (Brisbane Council).’
It seems that dog poo, posters and spit are worth more than someone’s life indeed.
Also, if you do feel like breaking the law, speeding is now a cheaper alternative compared to spitting. It’s now on special, from $130 down to $77!
Vox-popping Around
I also went around vox-popping people on the street around Fairfield and Cabramatta CBD about their opinions on the council's ban on spitting. I was quite surprised that many people thought it was a great idea and not many people voiced concerns on the hefty fine. I wonder what they will come up with next though - anti-farting laws?
"It's a disgusting habit for low lifes - thumbs up. Hopefully other councils will go for it too!" - Dave
"Great to hear! I see it all the time. It's filthy." Emily
"Singapore brought it in heaps long ago. We're a bit slow over here. It's about time people realised that it's socially unacceptable behaviour." Truong
"I reckon they should be paying attention to bigger things rather than spitting." Ian
"This is the council trying to regulate social behaviour. If I want to spit, I'll spit. If I want to fart, I'll fart. Councils should keep their hands out of teaching us manners." Johnny
"I hope other councils do the same. It's bloody disgusting, I hate seeing it around here so hopefully the fines will stop it for good." Michael
"Wow, sounds good - but how are they going to catch you?" Mai
"I think instead of the fine, they should try to change people's attitudes in other ways. Maybe through educational programs which teach people about the bad effects of it. The fine's not necessary." Van
It's Not About Revenue!
Interestingly enough, despite the penalty of spitting being in the triple 0’s denominations, Fairfield Council has defended its imposition. Apparently it’s nothing about raising revenue or anything preposterous like that. In an interview with the ABC News Online, Khoshaba emphasised that the trial is about education and not the fine.
“It’s not about increasing revenue or anything like that,” he said.
“It’s just about creating the awareness for people to understand that it’s not acceptable, it’s not tolerated and hopefully they’ll just stop it.”
In another interview with The Daily Telegraph, he again reiterated the focus was on education of people to rid of the “filthy habit”.
Khoshaba said: “This has always been about educating residents, not just about the fines. But community enforcement officers will have the right to issue on-the-spot fines.”
Khoshaba and the new stencils - Image courtesy of The Daily Telegraph.
If it really is only about education, then why the huge $1,100 penalty? If it's really only about educating people, shouldn't there be campaigns being introduced to teach people on the detrimental effects of spitting in public? To me, fhe fine is just a vain hope that it will be a successful form of sdeterrent instead of actually creating awareness and understanding from the bad habits which the council wishes to curb.
Also, there seems to be inconsistency between "ordinary" people and the sports stars. I don’t often watch sports but when I do, I seem to notice that many players like to spit on the fields. Should they too be banned just like Fairfield residents?
New Parking Plans
It’s what everyone wants to hear – Fairfield Council is finally listening. They’ve announced on their media release plans to upgrade parking facilities in Cabramatta CBD. I noticed new traffic lights the other day. Things are starting to light up in that department.
There will now be $2.8 million being invested in urban development for the car park and various projects in the surrounding streets because: "Council has been listening to community concern over the issue of car parking in the Cabramatta Town Centre. As a result, we have dedicated a significant amount of funding towards car parking improvement projects," says Mayor of Fairfield City, Nick Lalich.
The infamous carpark is finally getting revamped.
I guess all the controversy and publicity surrounding the whole White and racial vilification and protesting and community anger was a blessing in disguise because at least it got some issues out into the open.
Fairfield Council Doesn’t Like Spitters or Smokers
It seems Fairfield is in a bid to become the leading example of social etiquette recently with its involvement in rather interesting council policies. From now on, spitters and smokers will probably need to find a new council to hang out.
A park along the Fairfield railway - no spitters welcome.
I came across this interesting article by The Sunday Telegraph. It talks about how some New South Wales councils – naming both Fairfield and North Sydney councils – are passing new draconian rules where non-smokers are banned from drinking in outdoor smoking areas in pubs and clubs.
In order to enforce the bans, some councils are even forcing licensed venues to hire bouncers to enforce the bans, costing them tens of thousands of dollars a year. Fairfield Council was dubbed one of the harshest by The Daily Telegraph and as one of the two known councils to be employing the tactic when approving development applications from premises wishing to comply with the NSW laws. The outdoor spaces are being built so that they comply with the total indoor smoking ban at licensed premises that is expected to come into effect July next year. However, the state laws do not specifically exclude non-smokers nor ban drinking in outdoor spaces.
This begs the question of whether Fairfield Council is stepping past the line by imposing its own rules beyond the State Government’s legislation.
Mount Pritchard club Mounties' application for a development plan for a 40-person terrace left them with a notice saying:
“The outdoor terrace area shall be used for the exclusive purpose of patrons smoking. A security guard shall conduct regular patrols within the terrace area at all times to ensure that the terrace is for smoking purposes only […] there shall be no bar service or consumption of food within the terrace.”
Basically, if you are a smoker, you are not allowed to eat or drink while in the outside smoking area. Also, if you’re not smoking, you’re banned from the smoking area too because apparently passive smoking is not on either.
Clubs around Fairfield City are also being imposed with similar conditions such as Cabra-Vale Ex-Servicement’s Club, St Johns Park Bowling Club and Canley Heights RSL. Perhaps it's the council's agenda in reshaping its image, which aligns with the increase in crimewatch around the area in the past few years.
Two police officers in Fairfield CBD.
A Cultural Look into Spitting
I am very curious about the culture surrounding spitting because it is something which I have never done (in public anyway) nor thought about much until now. First stop was Wikipedia which listed “spitting” under the category of “taboo activities” and provided a general definition:
“Spitting or expectoration is the act of forcibly ejecting saliva or other substances from the mouth. In some cultures it is seen as offensive to spit in public, whereas it is widely tolerated in others. In Europe Europe and North America, the action of spitting has become popular and "cool" among many children and teenagers as a sign of contempt or frustration at society in general, or (more commonly) higher powers such as the law.
Spitting is a crime in Singapore, but it is not illegal in Europe or North America. It is, however, illegal to spit on another person, such as on their foot or especially on their face. Although this is a universal sign of anger, hatred or contempt and you can be arrested for this offence, the more serious reason for its illegal nature is that it is possible to transmit infectious diseases this way.”
However, I wanted to find out about the historical and cultural differences in the act of spitting. After much trawling on the net, I found an article written by Dr. Sarfaraz Niazi called “The Spitting Syndrome” which I thought was quite fascinating.
Niazi details the emotional and cultural value of spitting, which has been referenced by many writers such as Shakespeare and also various mythology from countries such as Egypt, Germany and Scandinavia.
“In the Noris (German and Scandinavian) mythology, the truce among the gods is celebrated by a meeting at which all the gods spit into a bowl, creating a giant called Kvasir, who is the sign of peace and harmony among the deities. Kvasir is later sacrificed and from his blood a more potent drink for the gods is made that inebriates deities and gives inspiration to the poets.”
Niazi suggests reasons why people spit and lists three main reasons.
Firstly, salivary secretions help in digesting the food that we eat, however the phlegm from the lungs is a way to expel the intruding contaminants which may enter the lungs. The environment we breathe in can sometimes irritate our lungs which creates this phlegm which is most common in chest infections.
Secondly, Niazi mentions the category of people who chew on tobacco or beetle which creates saliva and must be spat out; using the example of rodeo competitions which host spitting contests of who can spit the farthest. Baseball is another sport which hosts the act of spitting out tobacco. The habit of spitting is done to lubricate the balls before they can give it a curved pitch.
Thirdly, there are people who spit regardless. They spit because it is a habit or because they wish to show their feelings towards something or someone.
It appears that in the modern Western culture, it is simply considered bad and derogatory.
Parking – an unresolved issue
Curious with the parking issue which sparked the NSW parliamentary debate on allegations of racial vilification, I decided to do some historical research by going back to the archives of the Cabramatta Citywatch meetings to see whether it was raised.
Cabramatta stationBack in October, 2005, the minutes indicated that the issue of parking at Cabramatta railway station was raised albeit being "deferred to the next council meeting". The next meeting which was held in December, 2005. It then cancelled the issue due to Fairfield Council Mayor, Nick Lalich’s absence. Again, it was deferred until the next meeting. The next meeting jumped to February 2006. It seemed the issue had disappeared altogether, along with the passing over of the New Year.
Fairfield Council’s media release advises protesters that there’s no point protesting because “the issue is not even on the meeting agenda”. But to balance things out, they do know it exists. I guess they just don't want to deal with it - yet.
What puzzles me most is that Councillor Khoshaba's "no spitting" proposal took only two weeks to pass to become new council regulation. Yet the parking issue has remained dormant year after year.
The Council (well, Councillor White specifically) blames parking fines on Asians. The people blame it on the lack of council initiative in fixing the lack of parking spots in congested Cabramatta. Unfortunately, the communication link is missing. That or the Council is ignoring it as seen by the “kicking of the dirt under the carpet” trick because I myself have witnessed Cabramatta develop for the past fifteen years, and believe me – the parking lot is just as packed as it was back in 1991. Perhaps even more so since its image got revamped after terrible media coverage in the late 90's.
Fairfield Council Sets Precedent
Yesterday, Fairfield City Council passed a motion to ban spitting in its streets following a question raised by Councillor Ninos Khoshaba in a council meeting held about two weeks ago on the 25th of July, 2006. It will be setting precedent in New South Wales with its new ruling where offenders caught ignoring the "No Spitting" signs will face a hefty fine of $1,100. A tad Draconian, if you ask me.
During the meeting where he brought up the issue, Khoshaba described the act as not only a matter of very poor manners but “a significant public health issue” and also acknowledged that it is a “disgusting habit” which is difficult to police and enforce. However, he proceeded to press for “No Spitting” signs to be erected in the major CBD areas to rectify the problem.
During a council meeting last night, Fairfield City Council ordered a six month trial period for the stencilling of signage with appropriate wording on the tops of kerbs at various locations throughout the Fairfield city shopping centre to be endorsed in “an awareness campaign to raise focus of attention to the unsatisfactory practice of spitting in public”. It also asked for further representations to be made to the Minister for Health so that the act can be further included in the state Public Health Act with appropriate penalties.
It seems that the average council officers’ range of power in Fairfield will be elevated ten fold from the normal $110 for parking fines to $1,100 for a pool of spit.
This is not the first time Fairfield Councillors have come up with interesting propositions for their community. Late last year, Fairfield Councillor Lawrence White made a proposition that parking signs be written in both English and Mandarin because he believed that Cabramatta motorists were “among the worst drivers in the world”. He had been quoted as saying that “their driving has improved but their parking clearly has not”. White then proposed to “look at putting some Asian sort of sign…or colour coding them to try to change the driving and parking habits of people in Cabramatta”.
The Cabramatta community, of course, retaliated in anger. White then proceeded to silence community criticism when he prevented residents and ratepayers from attending a full council meeting on the 18th of October, 2005 which was in breach of s10 of the Local Government Act 1993.
This led to a NSW parliamentary debate on the racial vilification of White’s comments.
Topical issues of migrants not being able to read English blared the sirens for Today Tonight which ran a story in defence of White’s “helpful suggestion”. The show implied White was blown out of proportion with the racial vilification allegations. By who, Today Tonight? Why “Australia's largest Vietnamese community, in the Sydney suburb of Cabramatta” of course.
As the show asserted, Councillor “Laurie” White: “had done his homework and found that some Asian residents could not read Australian parking signs. […] In Fairfield, 300 infringement notices were handed out last year for parking in loading zones. In Cabramatta the total was 2,441. The number of parking fines for the year in Fairfield was 3,052, but in Cabramatta it was 5,195.”
In ABC’s AM program, fellow Fairfield councillor, Thang Ngo responded:
“We understand the word ‘No stopping’, we understand the word ‘No standing’. The problem here is a lack of council services, not the stupidity of the community.”
Racist or not, it seems White just doesn’t really know who's who in his community which beckons the question of why he’s up there in the first place. For one thing, Cabramatta’s primary ethnic makeup would be Vietnamese, not Chinese, so to propose signs in Mandarin just points to his lack of understanding of the real issue. So whatever “homework” Mr White claimed he’d done – it’s obviously a sloppy effort.
For the purposes of this blog, I will be following the issues surrounding Fairfield’s spitting ban further and also monitoring any interesting developments within the media which I feel are relevant.
