Cottage saved at eleventh hour but deadlock remains

Demolition of the caretaker’s cottage at Rushcutters Bay Park has been postponed temporarily due to action by the CFMEU.

The cottage had been finally scheduled for destruction Tuesday following the carrying of a Lord Mayoral minute at Monday’s meeting of Council.

“After Monday’s meeting we thought we were finished,” protester and former Mayor Dixie Coulton said.

“And then the boys from the CFMEU wandered down and it was just like the cavalry coming.”
The site was closed due to health and safety concerns including the discovery of asbestos but assistant secretary for the CFMEU told City News the union was also concerned about the community outcry.

“There is a lot of concern in the area [and] as long as there is support we will get behind the community,” he said.

“We’re pretty confident as long as they [protesters] hold a vigil at the site there will be no demolition of the cottage.”

Lord Mayor Clover Moore used her deciding vote at Monday’s meeting to pass a minute calling for the demolition of the cottage and asking Council to consider alternate tenders to the current court operator Rory Miles.

The decision was greeted with cries of shame and prolonged booing by onlookers with several addressing Ms Moore personally until a recess was called.

Speaking at the meeting Greens Councillor Chris Harris said the process had been designed to stop Councillors from making an informed decision on the motion.

“This is an absolute snow job,” he said.

“The whole process was designed to get rid of this operator [Rory Miles] who has devoted so much of his time to the community.”

Ms Moore responded to the claims reminding councillors that the proper processes for tender and development had been followed and stated Mr Miles was refusing to sign the contract he had tendered for.

“These plans have been progressing for a decade,” she said.

“We are reclaiming this land for its proper purpose, we need open space in this – the most densely populated area in Australia.”

This assertion was questioned by an onlooker who pointed out Council’s development in Lawrence Hargrave reserve seemed to contradict this philosophy.

“They say they want open space but then they go and stick all these buildings up there,” they said.

By Simon Black