City urged to withhold funds from Barangaroo

Labor Councillor Linda Scott has appealed to her City of Sydney colleagues to withhold funds from the Barangaroo redevelopment project unless the NSW Government guarantees not to sell off adjacent public housing in Millers Point.

In a bold initiative to protect one of Sydney’s oldest and largest public housing precincts, Ms Scott introduced a motion at last week’s Council meeting to have the City withhold the $37 million it has committed to the project unless the State Government safeguards the public housing.

The move comes as Macquarie Street is rife with rumours that NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell wants to sell the housing to help fund Barangaroo and make way for a second Sydney casino.

In an impassioned speech last Monday, Ms Scott told Council her grandmother, Marjorie Turner was a tenant in Millers Point public housing.

“I’m sure as a young women she never dreamed her granddaughter would be standing in this Town Hall, fighting for her former neighbours and their descendants to stay living in their houses,” Ms Scott told the chamber.

Ms Scott said the continued existence of public housing on the shores of Sydney Harbour – one of the world’s most expensive real estate locales – was “nothing short of miraculous”. But the “miracle” needed strong support to continue, she said.

“Having public housing in Millers Point, Dawes Point and The Rocks goes right to the heart of what this country is supposed to be about; the fair-go, social justice, egalitarianism; a country for everyone, and a city for everyone.

“If Mr O’Farrell and his Liberal State Government get away with selling this public housing, where to next? Redfern? Surry Hills? Erskineville?”

The motion was defeated, with only Greens councillor Irene Doutney supporting it.

But Lord Mayor Clover Moore successfully moved a watered-down amendment, which recognised the public housing’s significance, and committed the Lord Mayor to writing letters to State Government ministers opposing a sell-off.

Ms Scott maintained Council should use its fiscal clout to protect the housing.

“$37 million dollars has somewhat more bargaining power than a strongly worded letter,” she said.

Ms Moore said while she vigorously opposed any public housing sell-off, Council was committed to the success of Barangaroo, which would benefit the wider community.

“I oppose the sale of public housing in Millers Point. Successive State Governments have seen selling off this neighbourhood as a quick and easy way to improve their budgets, however in the process they have fractured
a closely knit community and caused undue stress and anxiety to local residents,” said the Lord Mayor.

“[But] the City of Sydney has closely consulted the community, set aside money and developed a plan to improve streets, parks, lighting, open space and way finding signage around Millers Point and Walsh Bay. This work
will also ensure that Barangaroo is connected to surrounding areas so that it will not become another Darling Harbour.

“This important work will benefit the whole community.”