Keating’s comments ‘comical’

Lord Mayor Clover Moore has hit back at former prime minister Paul Keating’s comments regarding her opposition to the existing plans for the redevelopment of Barangaroo.

Speaking to journalists last week, Mr Keating accused Ms Moore of having a “miserable, microscopic view of the world” and standing for “scandal-wearing, muesli-chewing, bike-riding pedestrians”.

The scathing comments come after Ms Moore presented a petition signed by 11,000 people across Sydney and NSW who oppose the redevelopment in its current form to State Parliament last week.

Ms Moore condemned Mr Keating’s comments and said it was a personal attack.

“The comments by the former prime minister Paul Keating are comical,” she said.

“This is a personal attack to deflect the legitimate concerns of 11,000 Sydneysiders who deserve to be heard.

“Is the former prime minister really saying that anyone who opposes Barangaroo is a ‘scandal-wearing, muesli-chewing, bike-riding pedestrian?”

Ms Moore formally presented the petition last Wednesday after Premier Barry O’Farrell vowed to bring an urgency motion debate to Parliament if 10,000 signatures were gathered on any issue as part of last month’s “peoples’ Parliament”.

But Mr Keating described Ms Moore’s behaviour as “scandalous and irresponsible”.

“She thinks it (Sydney) is a city of villages… without any idea of the metropolitan quality of the city of what Sydney would lose if Barangaroo were to fail,” he said.

However, Ms Moore said people are genuinely concerned about the former government’s handling of the project and that Mr Keating has missed the point.

“He has missed the real point,” she said.

“I have consistently supported development at Barangaroo and have worked for the best outcome for this significant site, adjacent to our city and on our harbour.

“The fact that 11,000 people signed it (the petition) signifies that this is a matter of major concern. That’s why I agreed to table it.”

Ms Moore said people wanted action on issues such as: the hotel in the harbour, decision-making being removed from the City of Sydney, the bulk of the buildings, overshadowing of public space, contamination at the site and the relocation of the passenger terminal from White Bay, back to Barangaroo.

Mr Keating has now resigned as chairman of the Design Excellence Review Panel—a key board set up to oversee the design of Barangaroo.

His resignation come amid speculation Minister for Planning, Brad Hazzard, had been trying to “muzzle” him.