2 March 2011

Andrew Barr nixes Federal Golf Course redevelopment plans

| johnboy
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Minister for Planning Andrew Barr has announced that he’s giving a red light to Federal Golf Course’s plans to convert their land to apartments.

I have written to the Federal Golf Club today formally advising that the Government will not support a residential redevelopment proposal at the Golf Course in Red Hill.

I formed this view after careful consideration of the advice and opinions of a range of government agencies, environmental and community groups.

Groups given land for community purposes really need to sharpen up and stop looking to flog off the assets they were gifted.

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4 paragraphs of ignorant drivel. Do even a little research & you will discover that FGC is operating quite well. They have put a substantial amount of time & effort into this proposal to ensure their long term future as a community facility. Also, They still have the option of a motel on this land.
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You don’t think that ‘they still have the option of a motel’ kinda illustrates my point?

They were gifted public land, they don’t pay commercial rates, and the ‘entrepreneurs’ on the board think that they have a sure moneymaker, one way or the other, with land that they don’t need for the purpose it was gifted.

Even the most cursory look at sporting clubs of all kinds, all over Australia, shows the same pattern. They are run by enthusiastic amateurs who get to try out their pet ideas without tedious obstacles to creativity like convincing someone to put up their own money.

When they get into trouble (as they almost always do), their immediate response (after asking for more taxpayers’ money) is to try to sell off part of what has been gifted, sometimes to developers not a million miles removed from members of the board – although I am not suggesting any such connection in this case. The assurance is always that this little ‘help’ will set them up for a ‘sustainable’ future. Memories fade, another ‘crisis’ looms, here we go again.

In the real world, it’s called selling off the family silver, and throwing good money after bad. None of which would matter, except that it is our (not their) land and money that is at stake.

breda said :

Sporting clubs have endless form in this regard. Every time they get into financial trouble, often thanks to the last batch of extensions (what real Aussie can resist extensions, especially with someone else’s money) – or their own incompetence, they want to sell off what has previously been given to them by the community.

Like all unsustainable businesses, they say that an injection of cash will make them sustainable. Until the next board of directors puts them in the hole again.

Congratulations to Andrew Barr for this and the decision on the golf course at Narrabundah.

Maybe he just hates golf. But he did the right thing, both times. If the land is unusable for the golf course, it should be returned to to the ACT, not sold off to speculators by the club for their exclusive benefit.

4 paragraphs of ignorant drivel.
Do even a little research & you will discover that FGC is operating quite well. They have put a substantial amount of time & effort into this proposal to ensure their long term future as a community facility.
Also, They still have the option of a motel on this land.

Sporting clubs have endless form in this regard. Every time they get into financial trouble, often thanks to the last batch of extensions (what real Aussie can resist extensions, especially with someone else’s money) – or their own incompetence, they want to sell off what has previously been given to them by the community.

Like all unsustainable businesses, they say that an injection of cash will make them sustainable. Until the next board of directors puts them in the hole again.

Congratulations to Andrew Barr for this and the decision on the golf course at Narrabundah.

Maybe he just hates golf. But he did the right thing, both times. If the land is unusable for the golf course, it should be returned to to the ACT, not sold off to speculators by the club for their exclusive benefit.

Wonder what the NCA would have made of an application to change the land use policy.

a range of government agencies, environmental and community groups. = Laurie Oakes

LSWCHP said :

This is bizarre and incomprehensible. Andrew Barr has made a sensible decision, resulting in the foundations of my political beliefs being profoundly shaken.

I don’t get it. What’s going on here?

I agree. This is so out of character for Andrew “Bulldoze those Bastard Buildings” Barr. He must be planning, so to speak, something much bigger somewhere else.

I’m surprised with this decision. I thought Canberra loved tiny, shoe boxed sized, overpriced apartments.

This is bizarre and incomprehensible. Andrew Barr has made a sensible decision, resulting in the foundations of my political beliefs being profoundly shaken.

I don’t get it. What’s going on here?

Growling Ferret6:33 pm 02 Mar 11

Sorry JB, this isn’t the Vikings style complete sellout.

Federal were planning on selling a small parcel of unused, cleared land and developing into residential. The course would remain unchanged, but the Club would be able to clear debt and reinvest in the facility.

Vikings were going to dig up an entire course in Capital, flog it off to townhouses, then buy Murrumbidgee Country Club.

Yowani have sold off previously, much to the detriment of the 15th hole. Belconnen have plans for their old 19-27 as an aged care facility. Wonder if that will get approval without a NIMBY backlash against it?

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