29 August 2006

Too many factory outlets?

| johnboy
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The Canberra Times is taking the part of the NCA’s catspaw by publishing research done for the NCA showing that Simon Corbell’s factory retail outlet planned for Fyshwick is one too many (the other one being the NCA approved outlet at the airport).

Apparently we’d need a population of 700,000 to support the second outlet so Simon had better get cracking with the land releases.

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No conspiracy Al, it’s plain incompetence – Simple Simon couldn’t organise to get himself butt-fucked in a gay bar … Snow’s position is probably more about protecting his investment rather than worrying about competition, despite some of the rubbish pedaled here by the usual coterie of pinko shitbags, competition is not about one guy rubbing out the other.

If the Fyshwick site falls foul of the National Capital Plan it’s either due to Corbell’s incompetence, or its a deliberate attempt by the Stanhope Government to get at the Commonwealth. Either way, ACT residents will end up paying for the damage.

I don’t know about that – a sage observation from a workmate: faced with a conspiracy or a departmental c*ck-up, odds are with the c*ck-up every time.
Besides my conspiracy leanings tell me that Snow is the one with the sour grapes firmly planted in cheek here.

If you believe that Simon wasn’t micro-managing this transaction then you either have no experience of the ACT government or are so low down the system you report to the mail boy.

The new owners of the Fyshwick site would be wondering … how come Simple Simon was so forthcoming with information for their ears only, yet silent on the NCA report – seeing as he had it well before the Fyshwick sale.

My understanding is that Simon didn’t send them any information, it was the LDA and ACTPLA, who may not have had the report.

I think that the NCA is worried that if one of the factory outlets succumbs to the inevitability of market forces its owners will rework it into a more standard retail hub (no prizes for guessing which one could readily make that transition) – an outcome that would be inconsistent with the National Capital Plan. If they nave a planning veto power on the Fyshwick site I bet they’ll be under pressure to use it – the Feds would love to see Stanhope feel some genuine pain – that and they’ve sort of painted themselves into a corner with the airport development which could make them look a bit dim.

The new owners of the Fyshwick site would be wondering … how come Simple Simon was so forthcoming with information for their ears only, yet silent on the NCA report – seeing as he had it well before the Fyshwick sale.

For a totally bland shopping experiance in a conglomerate of cold grey boxes, devoid of any atmosphere, pseudo cheap prices, try the retail factory outlet.

snowies kickin up his heels because hes pissed he got outbid, because the other bidders had knowledge he didnt have.
PS – its very rare to see parking inspectors in the car parks at brindabella 😀 in almost 9 months of paying for parking maybe a month at best, ‘ve yet to get a ticket. im impressed.

Growling Ferret3:11 pm 29 Aug 06

“Not to worry, all the bogans from Macquarie Fields will descend upon us when the outlets are built.”

Its OK Thumper, they have factory outlets in Sydney too… and they are much closer than Canberra…

Indeed Al, I think the NCA’s real concern is not that there would be one to many factory outlets, but that their’s would be the one to go.

This whole campaign being waged by Terry Snow needs to be called out. He is clearly wanting to have his cake and eat it. He uses the Federal jurisdiction to override the local government planning laws (as every other airport owner in Australia has done – always to the detriment of local businesses and good local planning). But now he wants to hold up supposed planning flaws to try to prevent a competitor setting up in the location where good planning dictates it should go. People need to see through the Snow storm on this one…

I can see a thriving business for someone here running shopping tours to the two outlets from the airport. They have a scheme like this in Melbourne so my good lady wife tells me. How about one for the blokes as well, while the ladies so their thing, with stops at Dick Smiths, Bunnings, the TAB, A pub, and one of the establishments in Mitchell. No doubt Terry Snow already has the plans in hand…..

Remembering that the population count should include the surrounding region. Which I think is currently around 400k – still well short, but better than the 320k odd on the ACT alone.

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