Linda Bergin OAM: Sydney's parklands need full scrutiny.
Linda Bergin OAM, Founding President Headland Preservation Group, says “Parks are now a sensitive political issue, and never more important thanks to our experience of lockdown. Any new act should give the community power over its parks.”
Read the transcript of Linda Bergin’s Opinion Piece below.
Sydney's parklands need full scrutiny.
The Sydney Morning Herald, 23 September 2020
Opinion by Linda Bergin OAM
Is the Greater Sydney Parklands the state's most mysterious government agency? It was established unexpectedly two months ago as part of the government's draft "Fifty-year Vision for Sydney's Open Space and Parklands". There is a chair and board. The agency appears to be newly managing five of Sydney's most important large parks. But otherwise, there is no information about how it is undertaking its wide-ranging and powerful remit to "champion the vision and holistically plan for and expand great open spaces and parklands in partnership with communities and local councils".
The agency's new overarching, single board of eight has replaced the separate boards of the Western Sydney Parklands Trust, Centennial and Moore Park Trust, and Parramatta Park Trust. All three parks are legislated statutory trusts. Thankfully, no legislation has been changed ... for now. The new agency will also administer Callan Park in the inner west and Fernhill Estate in western Sydney near the foot of the Blue Mountains.
Sadly, the government did not consult with the public before releasing its draft vision or establishing the Greater Sydney Parklands because of the COVID-19 crisis. The comment period has been extended to September 30.
Even though not much is known about it, Greater Sydney Parklands feels simultaneously promising and intimidating. Fears arise about its power and size, loss of local input, lack of transparency, the power to sell or privatise lands, and lack of funding.
Does the government intend to introduce a bill to create a statutory body? What provisions should be contained in any bill, and how might this process unfold in Parliament? Is a mega-agency a good idea?
If Greater Sydney Parklands is a good idea, it must be legislated by Parliament. I was part of a debate 20 years ago that led to the creation of the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust - a federal statutory body that now manages historic parklands on Sydney Harbour. In that debate, the community worked directly with federal senators to ensure a rudimentary bill was transformed.
Parks are now a sensitive political issue, and never more important thanks to our experience of lockdown. Any new act should give the community power over its parks. That would be truly visionary.
Linda Bergin was founding president of the Headland Preservation Group
