Premier Chris Minns accused of waging war against NSW bowls clubs

The NSW premier has been accused of waging war on local bowlos with crippling rent rises of up to 1100 per cent set to push clubs to their financial brink.

Premier Chris Minns has been accused of waging a war on local bowlos with crippling rent rises of up to 1100 per cent, with claims the NSW government is attempting “privatisation by stealth” with the move.

Documents seen by The Daily Telegraph confirm the crown land rent increases will be phased in over two years, with managers of multiple bowling clubs across the state now locked in desperate negotiations with the government to extend the period to five years.

Club bosses fear the steep hikes will deliver a killer financial blow and force them to shut their doors, putting hundreds of people out of work.

It comes as the Minns government backs plans for another crown land assault by slicing the 18-hole Moore Park Golf Club in half to make way for new parkland, with club president John Janik saying a 9-hole course would not be financially viable.

Federal Liberal senator Andrew Bragg lashed the state government over the moves.

Mayfield Bowling Club Secretary Sally Pontifex and President Patrick O’Connor face a 400 per cent rent rise which could potentially force the club to close. Picture: David Swift

Premier Chris Minns has been accused of going after bowls clubs. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

“The government has started a war on public golf and bowlos,” Mr Bragg said.

“The fabric of our community in many parts is based around universal access to clubs and sports – and it has to be seen as a public good … I think it’s very weird the government is going after them.”

NSW Opposition leader Mark Speakman said the future of community spaces was under threat from the Minns government.

“Chris Minns needs to rule out the privatisation of land occupied by community organisations and stop his ‘privatisation by stealth’ agenda that’s creating uncertainty right across NSW, and putting the government in a position to sell the land if the clubs fall over,” he said.

Vaucluse state Liberal MP Kellie Sloane raised concerns about what closures might mean for community members, particularly the elderly.

“We’re seeing a loss of community assets such as bowlos, places that bring us together, and residents are rising up against that,” she said.

Bowling clubs will be among the community facilities like tennis clubs and scout halls to be hit with a $6m rent hike following a crown land audit by the state government.

It’s understood 105 clubs have had their rent reviewed this calendar year, of which about 15 are bowling clubs, some of which haven’t had their rent redetermined for nearly two decades.

It is a concern for sites like Mayfield Bowling Club in Newcastle, which only made $19,000 in profit last year. The club now faces a rent rise of almost 200 per cent, with their payments to go from $17,615.50 to $52,000 a year.

“I don’t have an issue with them increasing rents, I get it – but if they could give us that longer transition period to budget and plan for it, it would take away the fear that we wouldn’t be able to afford it and would have to close, “Mayfield Bowling Club secretary Sally Pontifex said.

If the rent hike is phased in over two years, “it’s going to leave us in a position where we’ll more than likely close”, she said.

Nicole and Matthew Kavanagh with their son Alfie and friends Dayne and Sheena Applebee enjoy a for a. Picture: David Swift

Penrith Bowling Club general manager Julie Smith has likewise lobbied for a longer phase-in period for rents, with her club’s set to jump from $5400 a year to $65,000.

“If we did that over five years, it wouldn’t be as crippling as it would be over two years,” she said.

A Clubs NSW spokeswoman said talks were continuing with the government in a bid to extend the phase-in period and soften the financial blow.

A spokesman for the Department of Planning and Environment said the government was considering longer phase-in periods “where clubs demonstrate significant hardship”. It is understood no clubs have yet been deemed eligible.

A spokeswoman for Mr Minns slammed the Opposition’s claims the government was attempting “privatisation by stealth”.

“We’re not taking lectures on privatisation from the people who sold off billions of dollars of state assets over the last 12 years. They can take their tin foil hats off,” she said.

“We’re creating a new central park in the middle of Sydney for families to use without putting money in their pockets. Returning publicly owned land to the public is the opposite of privatisation.”