Damning report on NSW Government housing acquisitions marked ‘never to be released’, documents reveal

PREMIER Mike Baird is being pressured to release a highly critical report on compulsory home acquisitions he has suppressed for more than two years.

PREMIER Mike Baird is being pressured to release a highly critical report on compulsory home acquisitions he has suppressed for more than two years

The damning report into the NSW government’s process had been marked never to be released, according to confidential documents obtained by The Daily Telegraph.

Mr Baird was advised by his Property Minister Dominic Perrottet in December to keep the Russell Review secret, because the report’s recommendations on how to create a fairer process for families forced to sell their homes could lead to delays in a raft of major infrastructure projects such as WestConnex. Many homeowners are currently in dispute with the government, saying the compensation offered is tens of thousands of dollars less than market value.

Four women who were protesting against the WestConnex Toll Road were arrested at this Ashfield property in June.

After being grilled in parliament, Mr Perrottet admitted he later had a change of heart and wrote again to the Premier and Deputy Premier Troy Grant in February recommending the government revisit the report. Six months on and the Premier still has not acted and the report remains under cover.

In a statement, Mr Perrottet said over the Christmas break he became more aware of growing community concern over the way the government was handling the forced acquisitions and advised Mr Baird that additional reforms needed to be considered “to provide certainty to landowners and government agencies”.

Mr Perrottet released a letter dated 3 February 2016 but with the date recommended for Cabinet to reconsider the report’s findings redacted.

Mr Perrottet said the government fully intended to release the Russell Report. Mr Baird’s office declined to comment.

Opposition MP Jodi McKay, who confronted the property minister on the issue in question time yesterday, said the correspondence released yesterday further proved Mr Baird’s intention to sit on the report indefinitely.

“The Baird Government has only acted now because it has been shamed into doing so and its hypocrisy has been exposed,” she said.

NSW Premier Mike Baird was assured by Minister for Finance, Services and Property Dominic Perrottet that the plan wouldn’t seen the light of day. Picture Chris Pavlich

Hundreds of families have already had their homes compulsorily acquired to make way for major infrastructure projects such as the WestConnex, and more households are in protracted negotiations or disputes with the NSW government.

But the independent review, commissioned by Mr Baird’s predecessor Barry O’Farrell as part of an election promise and conducted by David Russell SC, has found huge flaws in the way the government is handling the acquisition process, with major concerns over fairness and transparency.

The Daily Telegraph understands at least nine recommendations on how to make the compulsory acquisition process fairer and less distressing for families affected were made by Mr Russell. However, all but two of the recommendations have been privately rejected under advice from the government’s transport, planning and environment divisions.

Hundreds of families have already had their homes compulsorily acquired to make way for major infrastructure projects such as the WestConnex, pictured. Picture: AAP Image/Westconnex

The remnants of a house on wattle Street in Haberfield is pictured as part of Sydney's Westconnex project. Picture: Nicholas Eagar

Many homes and businesses have been acquired for the construction of WestConnex. Picture: John Appleyard

Opposition leader Luke Foley described it as hypocrisy of the highest order.

“At every media conference where Mr Baird feigned sympathy he knew he had the information that could fix the problem.”