[Greens-Media] (Sylvia Hale MLC) Ravenous Government Should Take Its Hands Off The Hungry Mile

[Christopher Holley]

Ravenous Government Should Take Its Hands Off The Hungry Mile

 
Proposed changes to the proposed concept plan for the development of
east Darling Harbour show that the NSW Labor government cannot be
trusted with such a major urban development program.  

“Once again the interests the NSW ALP’s financial backers in the
property development industry are being put ahead of the interests of
those who will live and work in the area,” said NSW Greens MP, Sylvia
Hale.

“The design competition and the announcement of the new name of
Barangaroo were just public relations fluff from this discredited
government. Predictably once the deals start being done behind close
doors the Labor donors come out on top and the community loses out.”

“Labor is so heavily indebted to the property industry for the
millions of dollars in election funding it continues to receive that it
is once again doing the property industry’s bidding. That means
bigger, bulkier, more-profitable buildings for the developers and
degraded public spaces and loss of amenity for city residents and
workers.”

“Vague promises of improved public transport from this government
have been broken so many times they no longer have any credibility. Left
in the hands of this government Barangaroo will turn into an urban
planning disaster.”

“The government is compromised by being both owner and consent
authority, led by a Treasurer who will want to extract maximum returns
to Treasury and who has said he does not believe in urban planning.”

“I have no doubt this won’t be the last of the pro-developer
changes to the concept plan. If the government proceeds with its plan to
grant the whole area to a single developer that developer will have
enormous power to extract even more concessions as the development
proceeds,” said Ms Hale.

“We need an independent commission to oversight the development of
east Darling Harbour, made up of people with expertise in planning,
urban design and sustainability and appointed by a two thirds majority
of both houses of parliament, rather than by Frank Sartor.” 

“This will ensure that decisions will be made by people who are not
beholden to the property developers and who do not have the appalling
track record of this government in failed urban development and
transport projects,” Ms Hale concluded.

 
Further information: Chris Holley 9230 3030 / 0437 779 546