Public space is heading down the same path as our freedoms: being gradually and constantly eroded with community planning groups having to constantly mount public protests as governments hasten to capitalise on public space that increases in monetary value.

Most early town plans recognised the need for public space and in the case of our most northerly capital city, Darwin, Foreshore land was not to be built on but enjoyed as exclusive public recreational purpose. Those plans were scrapped for the development of a casino at Mindil beach where a council caravan park and camping area had provided temporary accommodation for visitors being handy to the CBD.

Signs banning camping now appear in what's left of Mindil beach where the ever popular 'sunset markets' operate during the dry season

Kahlin beach is now the precinct of 'cullen bay' an upmarket housing development that hopefully will not experience a tsunami.

The inner city park that was once the Darwin Primary School's sports area, known as 'Frogs Hollow' has survived a couple of proposals while the car park between Wood and Cavenagh streets , once the site of the 1960's High school will be the last vestige of public space yet to fall victim of Privatisation.

Public protest has so far kept the now cleared Myilly Point site of the early Darwin Hospital as Public space but this could change if some future administration cannot resist the temptation to realise it's capital value.

A thought provoking article that should become a wake-up call for Australian Citizens before public space is all gone.

I think this is a very important topic, as is the topic of privatisation altogether. In recent years everything has become privatised. Former mutual insurance agencies--AMP, National Mutual, and even the NRMA. Most, if not all former public utilities. The common-WEALTH bank. Even the COMMON-wealth of Australia no longer exists.

Even most, if not all of our major cemetries are owned by foreign corporations. Historically (and even now) there have been bitter conflicts over ownership of burial grounds and the treatment of dead bodies. We passively give control to foreigners. Amazing really.

Even many public spaces, especially in cities, are becoming more controlled by private security firms and surveillance systems. How many people are employed in the "private" security business in Australia. Even more so in the USA. In fact most of the USA military has been effectively privatised.

Blackwater provided (provides) "security" in the devastation of New Orleans and other devastated areas.

Being pedantic again, Naomi Klein in The Shock Doctrine tells us how privatisation occurs. The examples of Tsunami ravaged Sri Lanka and Thailand. And post Katrina New Orleans. Massive FREE grabs of prime real estate by private corporations---all with the connivance of governments in the name of "progress" and "development".

I'm glad to see some discussion on my article - I think it is an area that is much neglected, but of great importance.

I encourage anyone who has an opinion on the issues I raise to have their say. It is satisfying after working on an article to provoke thoughtful debate.

I went to the Domain in Sydney recently on a Sunday. A place where under the giant trees people came to listen to and engage with speakers on the burning issues of the day. There is a small sculpture commemorating this tradition and even some aging speakers on the stump up near the Art Gallery.

I have seen over 100,000 people in this park for free cultural events and for political rallies. Over the last thirty years I have enjoyed this and other public spaces in Sydney with others and exercised my right as a citizen to take direct action and protest on the streets and in these public spaces. The recent APEC conference policing showed me how these spaces can be controlled, closed down and become exclusion zones seriously limiting any capacity to express political dissent or difference. The war on terrorism is used to justify a reduction in the freedom to occupy and use public spaces.

The consideration of public space needs to be expanded to include community facilities such as Town Halls and street festivals. In the Inner West of Sydney there a limited range of venues under the control of Councils which provide the public space for political, social and cultural activity. NFP clubs also have public spaces and meeting rooms. Without this available common wealth much of the local social and political capital could not be deployed celebrated and reproduced.