The Sydney Harbour Federation Trust Amendment Bill 2021 Second Reading

Dear Members and Supporters

The Sydney Harbour Federation Trust Amendment Bill 2021 had its Second Reading in the House of Representatives on Tuesday 1 June 2021. Members debated the Bill and voted for the Bill to proceed to the Senate on Thursday, 10 June 2021.

Unanimous support

The debate was unanimously in support of the Bill. The speeches resounded with three important outcomes ensured by the Bill, outcomes fought hard for by HPG.

that Trust sites will remain in Commonwealth hands in perpetuity,
that the Board will be refreshed with the skills needed to manage the sites in line with the objects of the Act, and
that there will be no leases over 35 years and those over 25 will go to the community for consultation and will be subject to the checks and balances from the Parliament and the Minister.

Each of the speakers spoke about the important role of the community in ensuring the protection of these lands and the role of the Headland Preservation Group (HPG) in bringing about this outcome.

The following politicians spoke passionately in support of the Bill:

Josh Wilson Shadow Minister for the Environment
Trent Zimmerman, Member for North Sydney
Dave Sharma, Member for Wentworth
Hon. Anthony Albanese, Leader of the Opposition
Dr Fiona Martin, Member for Reid
Hon. Tanya Plibersek, Member for Sydney
Zali Steggall OAM, Member for Warringah
Hon. Sussan Ley, Minister for the Environment

Quotes from the Debate:

“It is the local people who make the case for protecting the things we will share. That has been the case with these sites in Sydney Harbour, and I want particularly to thank community organisations like the Headland Preservation Group for their unstinting work. I acknowledge HPG’s president, Jill L’Estrange, for her energy, commitment, patience and professionalism. I also acknowledge Linda Bergin OAM, who has been a tireless advocate for the protection of these sites since the trust’s inception.” – JOSH WILSON

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“It’s a long-held view of mine that transferring these sites to others, be they local councils or the New South Wales government, would be a missed opportunity to preserve them as part of the nation’s historical legacy, the nation’s great gesture of inheritance….”

…”So I am thrilled that today we have the opportunity to make the life of the trust permanent…..I particularly want to acknowledge the work of the Headland Preservation Group, currently led by Jill L’Estrange, who engaged so effectively and so well with the Minister for the Environment on this legislation.”

“What this Bill does is one simple thing – and it removes any suggestion that the trust is a transitional body and that this land would somehow be lost to the Commonwealth and transferred to other levels of government or maybe ever the private sector. It says the trust is here to stay.” – TRENT ZIMMERMAN

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“However, following community advocacy, particularly by the Headland Preservation Group, on 16 March the government announced that it had halted plans to allow leases over 35 years on Sydney Harbour Federation Trust land……I congratulate HPG on their advocacy efforts. They have been working tirelessly in the background for almost 24 years to protect these lands.” – ZALI STEGGALL

Download a PDF of the transcript of the debate here →

Protecting Sydney Harbour Trust lands in perpetuity

HPG has worked to ensure the Amendment Bill will serve to preserve and protect Sydney Harbour Trust lands in perpetuity. HPG held meetings with key decision-makers, including senior Trust executives and Members of Parliament, to press HPG's position and consult on the legislation's content and drafting.

In December 2019, with the Independent Review well underway with what seemed a predetermined outcome, none of HPG's goals would have been achieved if members and supporters had not united with a common goal to preserve and protect Trust lands and insisted on a 4th Forum held in February 2020. This forum changed the course of the Review.

I want to thank all our members and supporters who worked together to achieve this outcome and for your continued commitment to protecting these lands.

Don’t forget: make your submission on the Harbour Trusts new visions for North Head Sanctuary and Cockatoo Island

The new visions include many new elements that may adversely impact the heritage and natural values of Trust lands.

At North Head Sanctuary there are concerns that the values of the Sanctuary are protected and at Cockatoo Island that all layers of history are both protected and interpreted.

The online survey for these sites closes on Friday 11 June 2021.
You can complete the survey here:

The Trust will however accept submissions up until the end of June. Please email submissions to the Harbour Trust: Rebecca.Hage@harbourtrust.gov.au

HPG urges you to make a submission. It would be helpful if a copy of your submission was also forwarded to HPG: savemiddlehead@gmail.com

A Harbour Trust Walkshop is scheduled for North Head Sanctuary on Tuesday 8 June, 10.30 am – 12.30 pm.

Register for the North Head Sanctuary Walkshop here → (booked out but a waiting list available and a further walkshop will be scheduled if numbers demand it)

Yours in support of public lands,
Jill L’Estrange
President Headland Preservation Group
hpg.org.au