Dear Members and Supporters,

Independent Review of the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust report has been released!!!

On 18 June 2020 Minister Sussan Ley released the report of the Independent Review of the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust. You can access the full Review report here. HPG’s responses to the recommendations are listed below.

The Minister is broadly supportive of the recommendations made, subject to the detailed planning that the Review recommends is necessary. The Minister advises that community and stakeholder consultation will be undertaken in this planning process. You can read the press release by Minister Sussan Ley here.

The Review

The Headland Preservation Group is pleased that progress has been made in establishing a much-needed framework to continue the preservation of Sydney’s iconic harbour foreshore. 

The Review has come after extensive consultation by the reviewers with the community and stakeholders over several months. We thank the reviewers, former Secretary of the NSW Department of Planning and Environment, Ms Carolyn McNally, and former Executive Director of Infrastructure NSW, Ms Erin Flaherty for their time, availability and professionalism. We also thank the Minister for the Environment, the Hon Sussan Ley, too for her accessibility and consultation.

Thank you also to so many in the HPG and the wider community who made submissions, attended forums, and spoke up to help safeguard the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust. 

The purpose of the Review was to explore options for the future of the Harbour Trust and the management of sites under its control.

The Review made 21 recommendations.

Broadly speaking the HPG welcomes many of the recommendations but has concerns about some others. As with reports of this nature, the devil is always in the detail, and we are closely examining the recommendations, particularly in the areas of government funding, leasing, and ‘whole of Harbour’ approach to decision making.

The recommendations which we greatly welcome

  • Endorsement of the objects of the Harbour Trust, a win for the preservation of our priceless harbour lands, heritage, and environment for the present and future generations!

  • That Harbour Trust sites should remain with the Commonwealth. Notwithstanding this recommendation, the fate of the North Head Sanctuary is yet to be determined. Under a Deed of Arrangement between the New South Wales and Commonwealth Governments, North Head Sanctuary must be transferred to NSW on or before 1 January 2032 unless the Deed is amended. Should this transfer take place, the New South Wales Government will then be charged with the ownership and management of these lands. This puts at risk the strict environmental and heritage protections afforded to North Head Sanctuary under the existing Commonwealth legislation. These arrangements between the Commonwealth and New South Wales Government require clarification.

  • Reshaping the Harbour Trust Board to reflect the skills and expertise for the future.

  • Strengthening community involvement. In addition, HPG recommends that there should be Community Advisory Committees in respect of complex and work-intensive sites, in particular, North Head, Headland Park, Platypus & Cockatoo Island. 

  • Employment of a Development Manager by the Harbour Trust to work with its existing volunteer network, engage with indigenous, military and veterans’ organisations to promote the heritage of sites, etc. 

  • Commonwealth Government to provide funding of $47 million for urgent repairs, maintenance, and upkeep of the sites, including for addressing a backlog of repairs and maintenance. 

HPG is very concerned about three major areas:

Long term Funding of the sites

  • Recommendation 21

    HPG is concerned about the long term funding of sites. As matters stand, the Trust is not generating sufficient revenue to maintain the sites. 


    The Review recommends that the Harbour Trust should engage with the New South Wales Government, along with the private sector, to identify opportunities for additional funding to complete the rehabilitation of Trust land.

    HPG along with other stakeholders is of the view that the Commonwealth Government should bear the financial responsibility of completing the remediation of all Harbour Trust sites. This would enable the Trust to be self-funding and avoid long term leases with the private sector which may result in inappropriate uses and alienation of land.

Leasing

  • Recommendation 13

    HPG does not endorse leases for longer than 35 years. A lease of 35 years, which can be further extended, (Recommendation 13) is dangerously close to privatisation of public land.

    HPG supports a model that encourages shorter leases, and above all else a lease selection process that is competitive and transparent, limiting any chance of backroom deals. 

‘Whole of Harbour’ approach to planning

  • Recommendation 9 

    The review recommends establishing a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ between the Commonwealth, Harbour Trust, and the New South Wales Government for a ‘Whole of Harbour’ approach to managing public lands and special places around the Harbour, to be led by the New South Wales Government. 

    HPG does not support the New South Wales Government dictating the management of Trust lands. Trust lands are national assets with their own legislative controls which should not be compromised. Any custodian of the foreshore must be representative, consultative, and put a process in place that respects the views of all Australians. 

HPG is preparing a response to the Minister regarding the Review which will be published on our website shortly, go to hpg.org.au

To read the substantial press coverage surrounding the release of the Review go to hpg.org.au/in-the-media

Sincerely, 
Jill L’Estrange
HPG President
hpg.org.au