Byrne expresses concerns over Callan Park funding

Despite a largely positive response to the latest installment of community consultation over the Callan Park masterplan, concerns have emerged over the lack of funding detail in the report.

Leichhardt Labor councillor Darcy Byrne said the draft masterplan, delivered by urban design consultants McGregor Coxall, was almost entirely bereft of funding ideas to deliver various aspects of the ten-year, multi-million-dollar project.

“I’d always thought that the more valuable part of what they would be providing was a look at a few innovative, creative options for funding, and that that was really what we were paying for,” Cr Byrne said. “Aside from installing parking meters in Callan Park, there’s nothing in the masterplan for how we can acquire any funding. Realistically, that means approaching Barry O’Farrell and asking him for $100 million.

“If we’ve paid half-a-million dollars just for someone to put together a big long list of all the things people would like to see there, without any financial options as to how we could really make it happen – I think that detracts from the usefulness of the masterplanning process.”

But other councillors disagreed that the lack of funding initiatives diminished the plan’s value.

Liberal councillor Gordon Weiss argued one of the outcomes of completing the masterplan was that it gave Council the ability to say it had upheld its end of the agreement with the State Government, by identifying uses for the park and areas for investment.

He also added the Coalition, in its public statements, had indicated that it was much more supportive of Callan Park than Labor. “For instance, it’s much more committed to addressing the mental health crisis in Australia, at both a federal and state level, than Labor is – so you would think it’s more likely the Coalition will be receptive to requests for funding for ongoing mental healthcare at Callan Park, beyond what’s being done at the moment,” Cr Weiss said.

Greens Mayor Jamie Parker said working out the appropriate financial model was dependent on a number of yet-to-be-determined factors, including whether the site would be managed by Council or by a new trust. He also argued there were strong incentives for the State Government, via the Department of Health, to contribute to the project, as its completion would represent a transfer of tens of millions of dollars worth of liabilities off their books.

He said, however, a business plan would be completed in due course. “We’re going to focus on the benefits that will be derived by the State if they provide some support – but at the same time, we’re not saying that Council should provide no support,” he said.