A couple of issues popped on to the Flat Chat radar while we were off being festive.One was all about smoking on balconies which, if that wasn’t serious enough, raised the spectre of barbecues being banned from apartment blocks.Is the threat real and would anyone care? Or could we expect to see Sam Kekovich leading a protest march on state parliaments to deter our politicians from making any such unAustralian decisions.While we’re on the subject of threats to democracy (he says, drawing an extremely long bow) why are owners welcome to attend strata committee meetings in some states but not in others?When we say “welcome”, of course we mean tolerated. But at least that’s better than the situation in Victoria where you have to be invited to see what your elected reps are saying and why they make the decisions they do.If they don’t want you to observe their deliberations, you are stuffed if their agendas and minutes are less than painstakingly accurate.But then what do you do about the angry owner who takes the rule that they can't speak without permission as a provocation rather than a protocol?And finally, did you know that while we are celebrating Australia Day morning (or not, depending on your political inclinations) the Scots will still be celebrating Burns night with their traditional haggis-laden feast, complete with a recitation of the Bard’s ode to Scotland’s national dish (if you don’t count curry and chips).In recognition, with half an eye of an alternative to the BBQ burger burners, we offer you a healthy but tasty option: vegetarian haggis. Not sure if that's unAustralian - maybe you'll need to check out the video below. But, as we say on the podcast, it’s delicious and won’t stink out your or your neighbours’ flats. Enjoy.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bq3UpFAwPbATRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00Another Christmas and New Year behind us!Sue 00:02Yes, and a whole new year ahead!Jimmy 00:05 Right.Sue 00:07That's the difference between us, Jimmy. You're kind of like "oh, the year's gone, Christmas is gone... Oh, woe is me." Whereas, I'm thinking "wow, 2023! A whole new year, of new possibilities!"Jimmy 00:18Well, yeah, I wasn't thinking "woe is me;" I'm happy that Christmas has gone.Sue 00:24So the Grinch who tried to ruin Christmas?Jimmy 00:26Right. I think it was 'stole Christmas.' We have a couple of things to catch up on, since we've been silent over the holiday period. There was the couple who managed to (finally) get a ban on their neighbor's smoking on their balcony, because the smoke was coming into their house.Sue 00:48Took them a long time, didn't it?Jimmy 00:50Yes, and then that prompted a comment by the President of the Strata Community Association, that a blanket ban on smoking could lead to a ban on barbecues.Sue 01:02You'd be happy to see that!Jimmy 01:05Well, we'll have a chat about that. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 01:12And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 01:14 And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyBarbecues on balconies... Yes, I know I've got history in this. What do you reckon, Sue?Sue 01:37Well, I know it's your bete noire, isn't
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Recorded by Jimmy Thomson & Sue Williams; Transcribed by Otter.ai.
Find out more about Sue Williams and Jimmy Thomson on their websites.
