Dear Supporter,
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$15 million for Moore Park - Commitment by Michael Daley
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Still no financial commitment by the Government for Moore Park
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Event parking on Moore Park
The Leader of the Opposition, Michael Daley and the Minister for Sport, Stuart Ayres, have responded to our letters of 3 January 2019 (here and here) seeking certain assurances regarding Moore Park. Their replies are respectively here and here.
$15 million for Moore Park - Commitment by Michael Daley
We’re delighted to announce that Michael Daley has pledged $15 million for the remediation of Moore Park (“this historic and precious public space”) if the Labor Party is returned to Government at the 23 March election.
Saving Moore Park has been fighting for significant funding for the Moore Park Master Plan for the past three years, so this commitment is a wonderful breakthrough. Michael Daley’s letter also underlines the importance Labor attaches to ensuring more green space for the community. We commend his letter to all our supporters and express our appreciation to him for acknowledging so emphatically the importance of Moore Park.
A short media release commenting on this and other commitments Mr Daley provided can be seen here.
The Government’s financial commitment
It is disappointing that the Government remains unwilling to announce a financial commitment towards its own Moore Park Master Plan.
Instead, improvements to Moore Park “will be considered” as part of a broader $150 million program for new and improved parklands across urban areas in NSW. It has also suggested that it is within the City of Sydney’s power, not the Government’s, to determine how development contributions levied in relation to the SFS redevelopment will be used. Sounds like it’s looking to shift responsibility for funding Moore Park’s remediation to the City of Sydney.
The Government could easily find $730 million for the redevelopment of a stadium which expert opinion says wasn’t necessary. Yet even after decades of chronic under-funding it can’t find $15 million to put towards implementation of the Moore Park Master Plan.
A short media release commenting on Mr Ayres’s response can be seen here.
Event parking on Moore Park
On a more positive note, both NSW Labor and the Government support the gradual removal of car parking on Moore Park in connection with events at the SCG/SFS. This can’t happen too soon!
Michael Waterhouse
Convenor
12 March 2019
