16 March 2015

Member for Sydney Alex Greenwich condemns rumoured plans to hand Moore Park to the Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground Trust (SCG), vowing to oppose it in Parliament if re-elected and calling on the government and opposition to rule out any betrayal of public parkland.

Fresh rumours have surfaced that after the election there will be a transfer of Moore Park to the SCG for a stadium on Moore Park east and car parking on Moore Park west.

 Alex Greenwich MP says:

 “Rumours are consistent with media reports that the government wants an indoor tennis stadium in Sydney and has identified Moore Park as a possible site.

 “Residents have suggested the real reason for the Tibby Cotter Bridge over Anzac Parade is to allow patrons to get between a car park at Moore Park west and the stadia.

 “The SCG has a long history of blatant attempts to grab public land, and successive governments have been all too willing to bow to any request.”

 In 2006 at the SCG’s request the State Government rezoned public recreational land for commercial development and introduced sweeping development approval powers that bypass community consultation and assessment. Since then the SCG has built more offices and the NRL headquarters and cut down mature trees. 

 In 2010 the SCG’s plan to get Moore Park east was only stopped by a massive community campaign that involved residents, community groups, Lord Mayor Clover Moore then also the local MP, Neville Wran, Malcolm Turnbull and David Shoebridge.

 “The communities of the inner city, inner east and inner west will vehemently oppose this proposal as they have done in the past and in the lead up to the election, they should demand commitments from all candidates of Sydney, Coogee, Heffron, Newtown and Vaucluse to defend public parkland.

 “The parklands are a vital green space and recreation resource for thousands of people in the adjacent residential areas, many living in apartments with no outdoor space and populations are set to soar following redevelopment of Green Square. We should be improving and expanding open space not further eroding it.

 “This would be another insult to Governor Macquarie’s Sydney Common bequest which set aside land for recreation for present and future residents. The bequest has already been substantially diminished.

 “I call on the government and the opposition to set residents at ease and rule out any transfer in the next Parliament.”