[Greens-Media] (Sylvia Hale MLC) Community will carry the cost of V8s at Olympic Park

[Christopher Holley]

Media Release from Sylvia Hale MP, NSW Greens spokesperson on State
Development
For immediate use

Community will Carry the Cost of V8s at Olympic Park
 
New laws to ban compensation claims by local businesses adversely
affected by V8 car racing at Olympic Park in addition to a $35 million
injection of public funds shows that the community, not the organisers,
will pay the costs of the Supercar event.  
 
This legislation is reported to remove the right of local business
operators to seek compensation for disruptions to their business caused
by the event. It is also reported to circumvent environmental and
planning legislation to stop legal challenges to the event.
 
“This government has a track record of arbitrarily removing
citizens’ rights and throwing around government money to support
private sector events. It does not have a track record of ensuring the
public gets any return on that public investment,” said Ms Hale.
 
“Legislation to remove the rights of Olympic Park leaseholders is
unacceptable. Leases were signed on the understanding that business
owners had a suitable environment to operate their businesses. The
government is taking that environment away to benefit another commercial
enterprise.”
 
“If the government is going to renege on the promises it made in the
leases, the V8 promoters should pay compensation. 
 
“Similarly any attempt to remove the rights of local residents to
take legal action in response to the months of disruption and the
environmental damage that will be caused by holding the V8 event at
Olympic Park is also unacceptable.”
 
 “Today’s Auditor-General’s report into the $100 million blow out
in public funding for World Youth Day shows just how inept this
government is when it uses public funds to promote private events.”
 
“The V8 event at Olympic Park will have many negative impacts on
local residents and businesses. The event should be moved to the
existing motor racing precinct at Eastern Creek where the negative
impact will be significantly less,” said Ms Hale.
 
Further information or comment: Chris Holley (02) 9230 3030/ 0437 779
546