Inner West Councillors voted unanimously on Tuesday night to take out a full-page advertisement in tomorrow’s (Saturday) Sydney Morning Herald, outlining Council’s objections to the Greater Sydney Parklands Trust Bill which was introduced to the Lower House of NSW Parliament on Wednesday.
The NSW Government’s new Greater Sydney Parklands Bill will make changes to the Callan Park (Special Provisions) Act 2002, which would be a disaster for Callan Park said Inner West Mayor Rochelle Porteous.
The Bill enables commercial operators to take over every building and every facility in Callan Park and proposes commercial leases of up to 50 years in some of the most iconic buildings on the site.
“This is privatisation by stealth. This is gutting the Callan Park Act for commercial gain,” Mayor Porteous said.
“Inner West Council will not give up the fight to save Callan Park. We are asking all State MPs to reject what this Bill is proposing.
“How many times do we have to say this: ‘Callan Park is not for sale.”‘
The Greater Sydney Parklands Trust Bill impacts not only Callan Park but wants significant changes to the management and governance of most of Sydney’s iconic parks south of the Harbour Bridge including Centennial Park, Moore Park, Queens Park, Parramatta Park, Western Sydney Parklands and Fernhill Estate.
Council is calling for:
• No changes to the Callan Park (Special Provisions) Act 2002
• No future commercial uses at Callan Park
• No 50-year leases (potentially commercial leases) on Kirkbride, Broughton Hall and the
• Convalescent Cottages
• Keep the Callan Park (Special Provisions) Act in its entirety
• Establish the Callan Park and Broughton Hall Trust
• Maintain community, recreation open space access to Callan Park in its entirety
• The 38 hectares of Callan Park that were handed over to the Greater Sydney
• Parklands Trust in 2020 be returned
• Callan Park to be governed and managed as one park under the Callan Park and Broughton Hall Trust
Council is asking all citizens who care about Sydney grand parks to contact NSW Planning Minister Rob Stokes and tell him what they think of the changes to the way Callan Park is managed.
