Tally of Written Submissions Shows Mosman Residents Oppose Artificial Turf
Mosman Council voted unanimously at its meeting Tuesday night to defer its artificial turf project until the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust and the National Parks and Wildlife Service commence a joint planning process in 2016.
On October 21 2015, SHFT and NPWS announced that they would work together to create a new unified plan for the whole of Middle Head. This process, along with public consultation, is expected to start sometime in 2016. That meant that any artificial turf DA submitted by Council at this time would be made under a to-be obsoleted Middle Head Management Plan. Council removed the 3 staff recommendations from consideration, which were: 1. Noting public support, 2. Further meetings with the Trust and 3. Subject to #2 to prepare further financial reports on the project.
Instead, Councillor Bendall moved a new resolution to defer the project. This resolution was amended to provide SHFT with the consultation results at this time. Speaking to a packed Council chambers were representatives from Mosman Football Club and Mosman Swans, followed by Linda Bergin representing HPG and Kate Eccles representing Mosman Parks and Bushland. Also local resident John Allen spoke about the danger of artificial turf to the birds. HPG stressed that artificial turf would likely be unlawful under the Objects of the Trust Act, as well as contrary to NSW State Regional Environment Plan (Sydney Harbour Catchment) 2005.
HPG also objected to the staff’s claim that the public was LARGELY SUPPORTIVE of an artificial turf oval in the Headland Park. This is because the online multiple-choice survey used questionable methodology and should not have been tabulated along with the written submissions. Councillor Bendall's analysis of the 251 written submissions was:
Support artificial turf 128
From Mosman 73
Not from Mosman 53
Oppose artificial turf 120
From Mosman 105
Not from Mosman 20
Neutral 3
This means that 41% of those who supported artificial turf were not Mosman Residents. If you consider only the Mosman-based written submissions (on-line and posted), there was a distinct majority AGAINST the artificial turf, 59% to 41%.