[Greens-Media] (Sylvia Hale MLC) Community Pays for Government’s Crown Land Cash Grab

[Christopher Holley]

Community Pays for Government’s Crown Land Cash Grab 

The NSW government’s policy of selling or leasing thousands of
hectares of crown land to raise revenue is akin to selling the family
house to pay for food, according to NSW Greens MP, Sylvia Hale.

“This government’s obsession with selling off or leasing public
assets to raise operating revenue will see some of the state’s most
important ecological areas and public recreation land sold to private
interests or leased to developers.”

“The community will pay the price for this through the loss of
important environmental protections and the loss of public open
space,” said Ms Hale.

‘There is already significant community opposition to the proposed
loss of public open space at Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie and in the
Killalea State park near Shellharbour.”

“The proposed sale of crown land leases west of the dividing range at
less than 1% of their market value is a significant loss of public
assets and will weaken environmental protection of important wilderness
areas,” said Ms Hale.

“The government has a responsibility to maintain public open space
and ensure environmental protection of crown land. Instead it sees crown
land, just like the electricity generators, as just another source of
revenue for the budget’s bottom line. 

“Once all the state-owned industries and crown land are sold what
will be left in public ownership?” asked Ms Hale.

Further information: Chris Holley 9230 3030 / 0437 779 546