City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore imports $250K play equipment over local made

LORD Mayor Clover Moore has stuck two fingers up to Sydney’s manufacturing workers by importing children’s play equipment costing a whopping $258,000 from France.

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LORD Mayor Clover Moore has stuck two fingers up to Sydney’s manufacturing workers by importing children’s play equipment costing a whopping $258,000 from France.

Ms Moore’s reputation has been on the slide since the Daily Telegraph revealed last week she snubbed our brave Diggers by refusing a $5000 grant for next month’s Anzac dawn service at Martin Place.

Sydney’s arty-farty lord mayor has also been splashing the cash on a series of weird causes, including a $14,000 grant for an exhibition of crocheted hats.

The new slide and play equipment in Darlinghurst cost a whopping $250,000 and had to be made in France. Picture: Dylan Robinson.

Now ratepayers are being forced to cop another less-than-vintage decision — after it emerged Ms Moore imported the city’s latest kids’ play equipment from France’s Loire Valley — a mammoth 17,000 kilometres away.

“It’s absolutely ludicrous City of Sydney is not sourcing this play equipment from a Sydney-based manufacturer,” said Liberal Councillor Christine Forster.

“There’s absolutely no need to source this from overseas when we’ve got great manufacturers building this equipment here in Sydney.”

City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore plans to import kids’ play equipment rather than look at local sources.

Manufacturing jobs in Western Sydney, like many parts of Australia, have been falling for more than a decade and local workers would benefit greatly from some of Ms Moore’s lavish spending.

Labor’s Linda Scott added: “By importing children’s playground equipment from France the Lord Mayor is hurting the environment, costing local job opportunities and draining the city’s budget.”

The new play equipment has been built at East Sydney Community and Arts Centre and is due to be unveiled in May.

Ms Moore is a staunch advocate of lowering carbon emissions — but having the equipment flown or shipped from Europe would have resulted in tonnes of greenhouse gases being belched into the atmosphere.

New play equipment at the East Sydney Community and Arts Centre on the corner of Burton and Palmer streets in Darlinghurst. Picture: Dylan Robinson

It remains unclear why Ms Moore didn’t select an Australian manufacturer — but the purchase was put out to competitive tender, the terms of which were confidential.

The equipment was purchased from the Sydney branch of a French firm, which built the it at its French headquarters.

City of Sydney confirmed the equipment, which includes a “crawling net tunnel, spinning wheel and slide” cost $257,916.

“All playground equipment must comply with stringent Australian safety standards. The city uses independent certifiers to ensure the equipment meets those standards,” said a council spokesman.

Liberal Councillor for City of Sydney Christine Forster said the council should be using a Sydney-based manufacturer for its play equipment. Picture: Renee Nowytarger / The Australian

Labor Councillor for City of Sydney Linda Scott accused Clover Moore of draining the city’s budget on the expensive French play equipment. Picture: Craig Wilson

“The equipment is designed to endure and provide a safe and enjoyable environment for children to play.”

City of Sydney said it has committed more $400 million for “additional open space and new and upgraded park facilities throughout the city over the next 14 years.

“Over the last ten years, the City has spent more than $270 million on more than 50 new or upgraded sporting facilities, parks and playgrounds.”