Julie Goodsir, Vice President, Headland Preservation Group, address to Mosman Council Meeting, 4 March 2014
My late husband Don Goodsir was one of the founding members of the Headland Preservation Group in 1996 - to prevent privatisation of public lands. A vigorous campaign by the public caused the Commonwealth to establish the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust.
The 2001 Sydney Harbour Federation Trust Act: “to preserve this land to provide a lasting legacy for the people of Australia by creating the finest foreshore park in the world and to provide places that greatly enrich the cultural life of the city and nation.”
On Georges’ Heights the plaque reads “to preserve the Aboriginal, environmental and military heritage and establish a park for the enjoyment of all in perpetuity.”
Tony Abbott said in 1997 “I have campaigned strongly to ensure this priceless piece of our heritage is not squandered to the everlasting loss of the people of Sydney and Australia. The principles I have attempted to uphold have been: that all bushland must be protected forever; that there should be not large scale commercial development; that heritage should be protected and restored; that any development must be confined to existing areas; and that the military’s departure should produce a better environment for local people with more open space, more bushland and more public access to the last unspoilt headlands in Sydney Harbour.
John Howard said the brick Terminal 10 building “is the jewel in the crown on Middle Head”. It is the most substantial building there and its rehabilitation gives us a unique opportunity to establish facilities that will enhance the culture of this city and preserve the heritage of Middle head – environmentally, culturally and historically”.
Re: existing proposal for a Residential Aged Care Facility in 10 Terminal
Mosman should be proud of the fact that it has 5 Residential Aged Care Facilities with 283 beds compared with Manly that has only less than half this number (121 beds). These facilities are funded by the Commonwealth Government and are quite different from Retirement Villages such as the Manors in Mosman which is funded by the State Government. Mosman has 16 Retirement Villages and far more aged care beds than most suburbs in Sydney.
60% of the 93 beds at the proposed Aged Care Facility at Middle Head are high care places. They are for people who are incapacitated in wheel chairs and require constant 24 hour nursing. They are frail and falls are common. Many are dementia patients who cannot be allowed to wander.
Do not be deceived – this is not a charity or a church organisation. It is a private money making business that will benefit the financial providers and wealthy clients, but not the rest of Australians. In rejecting an aged care facility on public land in WA Senator Susan Walker said “What a deal for an aged care provider, a licence to print money on a prime heritage site.”
Let us retain the vision that we all fought so hard to achieve in the nineties “to establish a world class park for the enjoyment of all in perpetuity.”
Joe Hockey said in 1997 “Our generation has a responsibility to promote intergenerational equity when it comes to the environment. These lands should be preserved for the benefit of future generations. This generation is the guardian of our environment for the generations to come.”