City of Sydney installs plaque to celebrate broken playground in asbestos-riddled Jubilee park

Instead of testing mulch at a park that had been identified as a potential asbestos contamination site, council workers installed a new plaque to celebrate a decade-old playground. Days later, asbestos was found.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore has been accused of wasting council resources to boast about her own achievements in the midst of the asbestos crisis gripping the City of Sydney, after council workers installed a commemorative park at a playground days after it was identified as a potential asbestos risk.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal that council workers installed a new plaque at Jubilee Park Playground in Glebe on Thursday – despite the park being listed as a site which is a potential asbestos risk.

Bonded asbestos was discovered in mulch at Jubilee Park on Wednesday night, days after the plaque was installed.

The plaque, which was installed before mulch was tested, commemorates a playground which opened a decade ago and has since fallen into disrepair.

“We have transformed this playground with new play equipment for children of all ages, new garden beds and better picnic areas for all the community to enjoy,” the plaque said.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore has copped sustained criticism over her handling of the asbestos crisis. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

Locals blew the whistle about the new plaque in a letter to Labor Councillor Linda Scott. Picture: Richard Dobson

The message is accompanied by Ms Moore’s signature, noting the park was opened on March 29, 2014.

The plaque’s message bears little resemblance to reality

On Monday, a broken toddlers’ swing was taped up, and security fencing surrounded broken merry-go-round or ‘roundabout’ – which locals said has been broken for more than four years.

A local raised the alarm with Labor councillor Linda Scott last week, complaining that the council was spending money installing “self-promoting” plaques rather than fix longstanding issues.

A new plaque focusing on Clover Moore’s achievements was installed next to a run down playground and in the middle of the City of Sydney’s asbestos crisis. Picture: Richard Dobson

Ms Scott said that erecting the plaques now is an example of Ms Moore misunderstanding the severity of the council’s asbestos crisis.

“In this public health emergency, Lord Mayor Clover Moore should be prioritising valuable City staff time and public funds on asbestos safety and removal, not plaques in parks” she said.

“This is a sign of the Lord Mayor’s misunderstanding of the asbestos crisis we are currently facing,” she said.

The children’s roundabout has been broken for more than four years. Picture: Richard Dobson

She said the roundabout at Jubilee Park Playground has been broken for four and a half years.

“Whether it's the asbestos crisis or broken playground equipment, this is what the city should be focused on, not installing a plaque to commemorate the current Lord Mayor.”

In total, four commemorative plaques have been installed in February.

A council spokesman said the plaque at Jubilee Playground “was arranged well before we were made aware of the issue of contaminated mulch in our area (and) managed by staff not currently involved with asbestos remediation so it can happen concurrently”.

The council refused to say how much the plaques cost.

Meanwhile, it can be revealed that the City of Sydney first knew three parks had tested positive for asbestos on the afternoon of Monday, February 12 – well over 12 hours before the parks were closed off.

Ms Moore voted to block any further discussion of the asbestos crisis crippling the local council at a meeting on Monday night.

Do you have a story for The Daily Telegraph? Email [e-mail]