ABC Radio 702 Breakfast with Wendy Harmer and Robbie Buck interview with Sussan Ley
11 December 2019
Transcript:
WH: I wonder how many listening were members of Defenders of Sydney Harbour foreshores years ago they were the friends of Cockatoo Island the Headland Preservation Group and Foreshore 2000 Woolwich. Were you a member of that mob?
What eventually happened after great agitation and activism was the formation of the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust in 1998 and it was tasked with looking after these fantastic assets for Sydney Harbour.
RB: Yeah Cockatoo Island, North Head, Headland Park at Mosman, Middle Head, Platypus the former submarine base in Neutral Bay, just amongst some of them. The body, it's controlled by the Commonwealth, it's about 20 years old and so the areas that it looks after, about 145 hectares, and for the first time the Federal Environment Minister has announced an independent review into the Sydney Harbour Trust's funding and performance and that's been received reasonably well.
But it's the nature of that inquiry or that review that has been raising some eyebrows and the fact that it's not some, it's not particularly long, we had Jill L'Estrange from the Harbour, sorry the Headland Preservation Group speaking to us during the week about her concerns...
J L’E: it wasn't well advertised and in fact it was three weeks after the review that was announced that it was there was even an advertisement in the local paper and that appeared on the second last page the actual terms of reference are so broad - should the legislation be amended? One of the questions. How should the legislation be amended? Nobody knows the details. They could answer that and say yes and it could lead to all sorts of amendments to the legislation and there are many people out there many with vested interests whether it's commercial or sporting that have had their eyes on these lands for a long time.
WH: Where there're the fears that some have some of the public have that perhaps his review has been set up to make it easier for private operators to take control over some of these very precious public land.
That's why we wanted to invite the Federal Minister, the Federal Environment Minister, I beg your pardon, Sussan Ley to tell us about why she decided to announce the inquiry in the first place and what the aim is. Good morning Minister
SL: good morning Wendy lovely to be on your program.
WH: Thank you. So tell us why did you institute this review?
SL: Well the Trust is nearly 20 years old since it was created and it was a great legacy I must say of the Howard Government. These were former defence lands. They weren't transferred to either private operators or to the NSW Government. They've been kept and managed by the Trust. They're now facing large costs for remediation upwards of 200 million dollars. I visited Cockatoo Island a couple of days ago.
So it's appropriate to take stock. Now the Trust runs for another 10 years under our current legislation and so this is not a rushed process.
I do want everyone to have their say. I have no preconceived ideas about what the review will recommend. I like it that the terms of reference are broad because I want everyone to be able to express their views about what you've quite correctly described as beloved and iconic sites in a Beautiful city
RB: Minister how do you respond though to the criticism that the review has not been well advertised and that it's too short for people to be able to put their submissions in. Certainly that's the criticism that we heard from Jill L'Estrange this week.
SL: Look I believe it was well advertised. I did press conferences at sub base Platypus with local member Trent Zimmerman. We talked about the 20 million dollar investment to upgrade facilities there and a very heritage listed way but also providing and maintaining public access with some you know commercial operators but always with that public access and yes the local papers were used for advertisements but so were our national papers and you know it's been widely promulgated on social media and in fact in general advertising so I understand people have missed it. But the main point I want to make is there's been no intention this to slip under any radar.
What I do want is a very solid and informed consultation. And if people are worried that they can't get their submissions in by the 23 of December the lead reviewer Carolyn McNally has made it very clear that you know just give them a call and put your submission up to the first week in February. So you know don't don't hold back and don't feel that we don't want to hear from you because we do. I'm looking forward to attending one of the public consultation sessions. I think at this stage it's scheduled for the 18th of February. And I want to hear directly from people.
WH: Why not just here then just announce that you're going to go to, you know, to February then rather than make it that people have to ring up and get an extension.
SL: Well the reason for that is that I actually do want people to put their submissions in early so we can start work on this. So Carolyn and Erin who is the other reviewer Erin Flaherty both with good backgrounds in New South Wales planning and administration. Well that they'll be working on this throughout the Christmas period. So the earlier they hear from everyone about their views the more informed they can be with that process.
WH: Okay. Are you happy with the performance of the Trust.
SL: Yes I am. I've met the Trust recently. I mean I haven't had a long involvement with them but you know they're facing a significant remediation Bill. So if there aren't the dollars there to do the work that some of these sites demand, and that's the next stage of the process, then we know we need to look at what options we have for the future. But I want to emphasize that I do see these as iconic Sydney sites and we do want to maintain public access that it is not about selling them.
RB: No I'm sure it's not about that but the concerns that people have we're hearing a politician say that there's a big bill here and we need to do something about it a lot of people say well does that mean commercialising some of these sites and if so what kind of commercial levels are you willing to go to.
SL: Well it's already some commercial operation, I mentioned sub base Platypus. You can see that there are businesses that are setting up there and there are some entertainment hospitality and so on activities...
RB: and there's also a lot of concern by the locals at that particular site because of those or because of that direction it's taking.
SL: Look it's always been the case that was what the Trust was set up to do. Not to simply preserve their sites with no commercial activity whatsoever. And if you talk about going down there and hiring out an entertainment space or an art space and allowing a festival and that increases public access it informs the public about the unique history of these sites.
RB: But what is that for you, what is the level that you would go to commercially for these kinds of sites? What would you allow? What would you not allow?
SL: I want to emphasize that I don't have preconceived ideas. Public access is my number one overriding imperative with the future of these sites because they are very special in Sydney's history not just for our military and defence history. We know they were the former Defence sites but for the history of our First Nations people, the convict heritage on Cockatoo Island. I think it's remarkable, it's World Heritage listed, and I don't think it's well appreciated if you compare that with say Port Arthur or Norfolk Island equally significant but not nearly so well accessed or understood. So there's an example of how we can bring that to the fore.
WH: Well thank you for that. We're joined this morning by Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley.
[interview goes on to discuss NSW bushfires]