Since the SMH published its story about an unsolicited proposal to develop Wentworth Park I have had many emails from members . Today I gave the following to a Fairfax journalist.

  1. As a community we insist upon a strategic approach to large developments of public space.

  2. The Bays Precinct Task Force considered community recommendations that community access and environmental sustainability are superior values than economic growth in the development of public space but ignored them.

  3. The Glebe Society has been told of unsolicited proposals for the Fish Markets, Blackwattle Cove wharves and now Wentworth Park. These are all contiguous yet we do not know if any or all of these proposals are related. Indeed the Ministry remains secret on such proposals and the community is kept in the dark. ICAC has warned about such secret practices in its response to the proposed new planning laws. At the least they engender distrust, suspicion and innuendo. At the best they show ministerial arrogance of the nature ‘trust me I know best’.

  4. This government was elected three years ago on a platform that included a promise of community consultation. This was no doubt based on the perceived excesses of previous governments. Sadly we still await meaningful community consultation.

  5. As a principle The Glebe Society opposes the development of public land without proper community consultation and tendering processes.

  6. As to the specific development. How would we know? What is it? Why aren’t we given sensible policy planning proposals?

John Gray, President