Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment) Share this | Hansard source

The government will be opposing this motion. Even by the usual standards of the Australian Greens this is an excessive and extreme anti-development motion. The motion describes a 'controversial development'. For the benefit of the chamber, that controversial development is a proposal to use some disused former Defence buildings as a potential aged care facility. This is obviously a potentially valuable piece of public infrastructure for the local community. The motion is also erroneous in terms of calling for the government to properly fund the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust. The trust was established as a self-funding entity. It leases buildings out and, in return, reinvests those funds in providing enhanced public access. I assure the local community in this area that the government will make sure there is no net loss of public space from this development, that it does improve local amenity in the community and that we will undertake full and proper consultation in this consideration.