Senator calls on Prime Minister to intervene over waterfront

Central Coast based senator for NSW, Deborah O’Neill continues to put pressure on the Federal Government to change the location of the proposed taxation office in Gosford.

In an adjournment speech in the Senate recently, Sen O’Neill called on prime minister, Mr Malcolm Turnbull to accept her request for a meeting and to halt the waterfront ATO process.

Sen O’Neill also gave notice of a motion to come before the Senate calling on the Federal Government to abandon its decision to build the ATO complex on the old Gosford Public School site and to consult with the community.

She wrote to Mr Turnbull on October 15 to outline the Central Coast community’s opposition to the site and the lack of consultation with residents in making the decision.

After not hearing from Mr Turnbull’s office a week later, the Senator formally requested a meeting with the Prime Minister. “To this day, Prime Minister Turnbull has refused my request for a meeting to hear the voice of the people of the Central Coast,” Sen O’Neill said in an adjournment speech.

“I want to put on the record this evening that people are very, very angry at being ignored. “They feel their voice is not being heard.

“I ask him once again, formally through this process, to give me the courtesy of his ear, listen to the voice of the community and halt the process immediately to prevent any further egregious action that has so riled the people of the Central Coast.”

Sen O’Neill called on the Prime Minister to meet with her before the Notice of Motion is debated at the next sitting week on November 25. “The Central Coast’s vote is being taken for granted,” Sen O’Neill said.

“The community wants the ATO jobs, but they want them in the CBD, not on community land with views of the Brisbane Water.

“The people who gave up their school and the broader community deserve better than this silent treatment by the new Prime Minister. “Our community needs and was promised an arts precinct on this prime site.

“The Federal Government must meet its promise to contribute to the performing arts centre and they should be advancing that vision on this site, instead of a four-storey brown brick ATO monstrosity.”

Last month Sen O’Neill publicly questioned member for Robertson, Ms Lucy Wick MP’s approach to answering community concerns about the location of the tax office.

Ms Wicks had completely misunderstood community concerns about plans to build the Tax Office building on Gosford’s waterfront, according to sen O’Neill.

“An ATO office is not a Centre for Excellence, it is a tax office,” Sen O’Neill said in response to a speech given by Ms Wicks in parliament recently. “The design is certainly ugly but at the risk of shouting, ‘The proposed ATO is in the wrong place Lucy’,” Sen O’Neill said.

“Who is the Member talking to? “Most of the people I speak to are clear that they want the promised 600 jobs but they don’t want the building on that site.

“Ms Wicks said she would formally approach the ATO to change the design. “If she is talking to the ATO and Malcolm Turnbull, the message is clear: move the building and consult the community.

“Ms Wicks mustn’t read newspapers, watch television, listen to the radio or look at her own Facebook page, if she thinks talking to the ATO about changing the design ‘so that it can be something our region can be truly proud of in 10 and 20 years’ time’ is what the community wants.

“I think it’s a case of selective deafness, Ms Wicks needs to hear the whole message: “Put the jobs in Mann St not on the waterfront,” Ms O’Neill said.

“Most people want the waterfront to remain public space as the arts and cultural hub they were promised,” she said. “I again call on Ms Wicks and Malcolm Turnbull to immediately halt any negotiations or deals that would end up putting a tax office on the waterfront.

“Don’t inflict this disaster on the Coast. “Bring the jobs to Mann St. “Bring the arts and community hub to the waterfront.”

Media Release,
Oct 22, 2015
Media release,
Nov 11, 2015
Scott Coomber, Office of
Senator for NSW,
Deborah O’Neill