Minister Steers Government Toward Another Cross City Tunnel Disaster - 9 June 2006
Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP today called on the
Minister for Planning to come clean on just how much money the State Government
was planning to take from the CUB site, and to give assurances about how this
money would be spent.
“I have sought an urgent
meeting with the Premier to resolve this issue and find a way forward that does
not delay the process or impose unsustainable density increases – resulting in future
slums.
“I would hope that the Iemma Government has learned
its lesson from the Cross City Tunnel and won't be pushing for a large upfront
cash payment in exchange for controls which are contrary to the broader public
interest. The real issue here is transparency and public accountability, so the
community can be confident that the Minister's actions are in the public
interest.
“The City and Fosters were ready to close the deal
last week. Now the Minister’s intervention will add up to a year to the process.
"On the lower density proposed by the City and
CSPC (Central Sydney Planning Committee) for this site, the State Government
will be taking about $30Million. If the density goes up, as the Minister has
flagged, then this amount could increase substantially.
“This uncapped State Government payment is called an
affordable housing levy but it goes directly to the Redfern Waterloo Authority
(RWA). The RWA was created in 2004 without any extra funding. I expressed
concern at this back then, and the community deserves to know just how this
money will be used.
“There is a clear conflict of interest here. How can
the Minister claim to provide a balanced outcome for the community and the
future of the City, when he is ignoring expert advice and advocating for an
increase in the size of the development which will see his Government reap a
cash bonanza.’’
“The Minister’s uninformed attack on the Lord Mayor
and the City is an attack on his colleagues, the three ALP members on Council,
who supported the planning controls for the site and his appointees to the CSPC
who again affirmed their support for the planning controls, the density and the
process.
Ms Moore said the Minister’s actions showed a contempt
for professional advice and the democratic process.
"The minister clearly has a problem with working
within a democratic framework and being accountable for his decisions. When he
doesn't want to come clean then he resorts to personal abuse – well bully boy
tactics won't wash here.
“It happened with Lucy Turnbull too. He wants people
to toe the line. Well, the Council and the CSPC are just asking the obvious
questions here and the public has a right to know. It's not helpful to shoot
the messenger!"
“Transparency is the key here, and if the Minister has
nothing to hide then he needs to come clean. What has he told Fosters to derail
their agreement with the City? How much is he planning to take? How much higher
does he want densities on this site? How will the money be spent and publicly
accounted for?
“Any attack on me or the City council is just an attempt to divert attention from these fundamental questions. And it’s an insult to the public who deserve to know," Ms Moore said.