The Defence Department has been accused by the Greens of trying to "bluff" Randwick City Council out of $1.8 for the maintenance of a new environment park.
Long running negotiations between the Government and the Council dramatically soured yesterday over the "Bundock Street fence" issue.
Long suffering residents had been expecting to see the un-sightly fence pulled down on the 5th June when ownership of the environment park it encloses was supposed to transfer to Council from Defence.
But things fell apart yesterday over $1.8 million promised to Council as maintenance for the park under a deed of agreement between the two bodies.
Defence suddenly told Council that the money would now not be provided until January next year.
Stunned Council officers protested that the deed of agreement states that the Council is to be paid the money at the same time that Council accepts dedication of the park.
The situation got worse today when Defence emailed the Council saying that the government now wanted to "separate" the money issue from the dedication.
The Council now has the option of retaliating by refusing to accept dedication of the environment park, which means the fence wont come down as expected by residents.
Greens Councillor Murray Matson, chair of the Council’s Environment Committee, is now publicly wondering "…if Defence is ever intending to provide the money?".
He said today,
"Defence has pulled this trick at the last minute because they are gambling that we will still accept dedication with out the money because of the fence that we are under pressure to get pulled down.
Our patiant residents have been told that the fence would come down when the park is dedicated to us. Defence is now hoping that we will buckle under the pressure and give up on the money.
This is simply the most appalling maneuver by the Federal Government. It is the sort of money grasping extortive try on that you would expect from a less than respected developer.
Council is prepared to accept dedication of the environment park when we have a reasonable sum of money to maintain it."
Cr Matson said that he was appealing to residents to be patient a bit longer and support the Council against Defence.
He said,
"I ask that all residents in the vicinity of the fence see through this cynical extortion attempt by Defence and back their own Council in refusing to accept the dedication until we get the money as promised.
It will be our own rates that will have to be raided to support the park if we don’t get the $1.8 million."
Cr Matson called on residents to lobby local Federal Labor MP Peter Garrett to demand the money.
He elaborated,
"Peter Garrett as the member for the seat of Kingsford Smith should be made aware by residents that they don't expect their federal government to be short changing their local council out of money it needs to maintain an environment park. Give us the money so that we can pull the fence down."