[Greens-Media] PARNELL: Mt Barker Developers get $27m taxpayer gift

[Taylor, Sam]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday 20th February 2014
Mt Barker Developers get $27m taxpayer gift

The decision by both the State Labor Government and Liberal opposition to use taxpayers' money to fund a second freeway interchange at Mt Barker represents a $27m gift to the consortium of property developers behind the Mt Barker urban sprawl re-zoning, according to Greens Parliamentary Leader, Mark Parnell MLC.

Documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show that the developers promised to pay for the freeway interchange in exchange for the Planning Minister re-zoning farmland to "residential" against the wishes of the local Council and local community.  After the Ombudsman ruled in favour of release, the developers appealed to the District Court, sparking a two-year legal battle. The documents were finally released after the rezoning decision was made.

On 1st April 2008, Planning Consultants, Connor Holmes, wrote to the Planning Minister saying:
"Following authorisation of a suitable Development Plan Amendment, it [the consortium] would also be willing to fund ... "on-off ramps to/from the South Eastern Freeway connecting to Bald Hills Road."*

"Given that the property developers got the rezoning they asked for, why has the Government not insisted that they pay for the new freeway interchange?  Letting them off the hook to the tune of $27m is effectively a taxpayer gift to property developers, some of whom are big donors to the Labor Party.
"The developers also said they'd pay for a new ring road, wetlands and stormwater detention basins, new sewerage infrastructure and planting 125,000 trees.  How many of these promises will taxpayers now be funding?

"The Government needs to come clean and publish all the infrastructure arrangements with the property developers so the public know what other subsidies are being provided.  Will the developers be let off the hook entirely?

"For the Government to now say that they are finished with urban sprawl is the height of cynicism.  Most of the fringe areas rezoned for housing won't be developed for decades and all of the projected growth in housing need could have been accommodated in the existing urban area", concluded Mark Parnell.

* The full document can be found here: http://markparnell.org.au/uploads/Mt%20Barker%20Court%20Case%20Doc%207_17Feb12.pdf

For further information contact Mark Parnell: 0439 215 937






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