Cockatoo Island must be kept for the people of Sydney
Sydney Morning Herald Editorial
Transcript:
The future of Sydney’s Cockatoo Island is back in the news, with a proposal to attract private investors already stirring deep emotions here in the harbour city.
The federal government is now considering whether to change existing planning rules and sell long-term leases of the island to private interests.
Proponents say these changes will attract the cash needed to develop the site as a key tourist destination and valuable asset for the city.
But without careful planning rules, opponents including Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese fear private development of the landmark could easily turn into an ugly Sydney property scandal.
The jewel of the western end of the harbour, Cockatoo Island is home to both world heritage-listed convict-era buildings that date back to 1839 and unique industrial structures from last century when it was Australia’s great naval shipbuilding base.
That heritage, however, poses a problem for the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust, a federal non-profit agency that took over the body after the shipyards closed.
The trust, which owns half a dozen other former military bases on the harbour, has spent the past two decades remediating the properties and opening them up to public use.
It has worked fairly well in sites such as the Platypus Sub Base in Neutral Bay and North Head Sanctuary in Mosman.
But the cost of remediating Cockatoo Island, especially the rusting industrial sites, is expected to be $190 million – a sum that far exceeds the trust’s resources. Without more cash, some facilities could become too dangerous to visit.
The federal government announced a review into the trust’s rules in December last year, floating the idea of involving private investors.
Currently, the trust can only sign long-term leases with ministerial and parliamentary approval and it must comply with a masterplan that respects the site's environmental and heritage qualities.
A discussion paper for the review has suggested ending these restrictions and perhaps revising or scrapping the master plan.
The Herald reported on Monday that a body called the Cockatoo Island Foundation Limited has proposed taking the island away from the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust and transforming it into a “permanent art island for Sydney”.
The group, which includes corporate adviser and arts benefactor Simon Mordant, say they could guarantee $80 million of philanthropic cash if the federal government picks up the costs of remediation.
There is nothing wrong with opening up the island for innovative use but it is not clear the current controls must be torn up for this to happen.
Under the current trust, Cockatoo Island is already turning itself into a major attraction. The island now offers a “glamping” campsite, special events such as conferences and even convict ghost tours. The trust already earns about $18 million a year from various commercial leases and licences.
Signing long-term leases will only be necessary if the goal is to hand over sections of the site to a private property developer. That is not something that should be done lightly or secretly.
Similarly, transferring management of Cockatoo Island to a new trust must not be a complicated way of avoiding scrutiny or skirting existing rules.
Like the Opera House, Federal Parliament or the Harbour Bridge, this is a site that is central to Australia’s identity.
It should not be handed over to developers without parliamentary scrutiny and approval.