Royal Park Protection Group Inc

MEDIA RELEASE

9 APRIL 2003

PROTEST AS GOVERNMENT MOVES TO LEGITIMISE ROYAL PARK LAND GRAB

Tomorrow the Royal Park Protection Group members and allies will meet at 1 pm on the steps of Parliament House to protest over the Games Bill now before Parliament. Recently revised plans were unveiled, which show that construction of a Games Village in Royal Park is an excuse for the Bracks Government to give away prime parkland and public assets to private real estate developers. Now the Government plans to pressgang through Parliament on the day before the Easter break a draconian Bill, which will legitimise these suspect land deals with an overseas developer.

Julianne Bell, Royal Park Protection Group Convenor, commented:

"First in the midst of a drought and with bushfires burning Victorians were hit with news about the blow-out of the 2006 Commonwealth Games budget to $1.1 billion. Then we learnt that only a section of the huge urban conurbation proposed for Royal Park is to be used for the 2006 Commonwealth Games Village and it will be entirely dysfunctional. Early on we realised that the developer was being given a gift of our public parkland and heritage buildings on a platter. We did our own historical research and proved that the Games Village site was once part of Royal Park and was always public parkland. We know we were right. If the Government was confident of their position, then they would not need to pass a law making the site unalienated land."

Legal advice obtained by the Royal Park Protection Group indicates that Commonwealth Games Arrangements (Amendment) Bill, if enacted, will confer on the Minister for the Commonwealth Games unprecedented and unfettered powers over the land and its development – including after the Games have finished. It is clear that the powers given extend to the period after the Games, and to works and development, which have no connection to the Games. Speakers at tomorrow’s gathering will include Moreland and Melbourne City Councillors and Opposition Members of Parliament as well as representatives of community groups who are up in arms over this piece of legislation reminiscent of some eastern European dictatorship.

 

Media Contact: Julianne Bell Convenor Royal Park Protection Group 98184114 or 0408022408 www.royalparkprotect.org.au