The Minns Labor Government is trying to hide behind North Sydney Council while backing a State-funded project that will demolish and close an essential, community-run, not-for-profit childcare centre in one of Sydney’s fastest-growing precincts.
At Budget Estimates today, Planning Minister Paul Scully confirmed that the NSW Government controls the funding, design and project timelines for the $9.3 million Hume Street Park Stage 2 project in the Crows Nest TOD accelerated precinct, whilst attempting to push responsibility for the impending closure of Kelly’s Place onto Council.
Kelly’s Place has served local families from its site within Hume Street Park for almost 40 years and is due to be evicted on 31 December with no plans secured for its future.
Member for Willoughby Tim James said the Minister could no longer pretend the State Government was simply a bystander. “The Minns Government cannot fund, design and deliver this project, then hide behind Council when its own bulldozers raze the childcare centre,” Mr James said.
“The Minister confirmed today that he and the state government controls the money, the design and the project timelines. The buck therefore stops firmly with the state government and they own the consequences of their involvement in this project.”
“Quality, not-for-profit care options are already in short supply in Crows Nest. It is madness for the Minns Labor Government to spend public money demolishing essential community infrastructure in a fast-growing area where demand for childcare is only increasing. We need to provide both childcare and open space. It is not one or the other.”
“Kelly’s Place has long been integrated into Hume Street Park, including with green open space on its roof. That should continue. The Government should insist on designing a better park around Kelly’s Place, not using taxpayer funds to remove it.”
Mr James slammed the Minister’s attempt to turn the issue into an election argument. “By the March election it will be too late. Kelly’s Place is being evicted on 31 December. By then, this community service will already be lost. Paul Scully is the Minister today. He can say today that the NSW Government will have no part in closing essential childcare.”
“The Government needs to wake up, acknowledge that bulldozing not-for-profit childcare in a rapidly growing TOD precinct is an absurd misuse of public money and insist that this project does not proceed until a secure future for Kelly’s Place is in place.”