[Greens-Media] Lean on Koomarri

[Manderson, Roland]

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ACT Greens MLA Deb Foskey MEDIA RELEASE
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25 May 2006




Gvt and Community need to lean on Koomarri

ACT Greens MLA Deb Foskey has called on the ACT Labor Government to stand up for Canberra battlers rather than its business friends.

"Canberra's politicians and community leaders have been remarkably quiet on the Koomarri front" Dr Foskey said today.

"Yet it is the Koomarri business that was given the Long Stay Park - effectively on trust - by ACT Housing, and in choosing to sell it has put the homes of 200 people, and their community, in jeopardy."

"The only fair outcome is for the land to be handed back to the ACT Government and then transformed into resident controlled community housing."

"Yet I haven't heard any Canberra Labor Party identities put the pressure on the businesses involved to get that result. And while Chief Minister Jon Stanhope has criticised Consolidated Builder's Josip Zivko, who is buying the land, he has made no comment at all about Koomarri President John Mackay, who is equally involved."

"I have written to Canberra's business peak bodies, and to some of its business leaders, asking them to encourage their friends to withdraw from the sale."

"I am now asking Canberra's community organisations and leading public figures - including our politicians - to do the same, and ask Koomarri to return the $2m windfall."

"Bishop Pat Power, chair of Canberra's Poverty Taskforce, put the arguments very clearly.  Koomarri must offer to return the $2m to Mr Zivko, as 'any lesser solution will demean the whole Canberra community' " Dr Foskey said.

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Roland Manderson   Media Advisor
ACT   Greens    MLA  Deb  Foskey  
Legislative Assembly for the ACT 
ph(02)62050551      m 0412241379
==== www.act.greens.org.au ===== 
  
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