$5b project: ‘Massive boon for NSW’

Premier Chris Minns has hailed the sale of Rosehill Racecourse as the “one opportunity” to pump billions of dollars into the future of racing NSW and secure 25,000 new homes for Sydney.

Premier Chris Minns has hailed the sale of Rosehill Racecourse as the “one opportunity” to pump billions of dollars into the future of racing NSW and secure 25,000 new homes for Sydney.

The Premier’s comments came as a Select Committee hearing into the sale of the racecourse opened with evidence from trainer Gai Waterhouse that she was “incensed” at the proposal.

Mr Minns said he was “not confident of getting Gai over the line” but that the sale of Rosehill was a “great opportunity” for billions of dollars to go into remaking the racing industry.

“There’s only one opportunity to do this,” Mr Minns said. “The train line and a station can only be built once.”

Sydney suburb of Camellia that has is in the development planning. Green area shows Rosehill racecourse and Camellia development proposal area Photo: Supplied

“This could be a massive boon for NSW,” Mr Minns said. “We’d love to see Rosehill turned into affordable housing, more housing for young people, with a massive new park, more open space, with access to public transport in the gateway to Western Sydney.

“It could be a game changer for our great city, but we’re not there yet, and this decision.

Adam Leto, chief executive Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue, said the proposed sale presented “a once in a generation opportunity” to bring 25,000 new homes to NSW.

“If there’s an opportunity in Western Sydney, it should be investigated,” he said.

David Borger, Executive Director Business Western Sydney, said a development at Rosehill with a new metro station would “supercharge” the growth of Western Sydney.

“We are in a crisis. Our children are moving to Queensland because they cannot afford to live in the city any more and they need well supplied and well located housing,” he said.

“An opportunity to build a Metro Station is also an opportunity to build jobs. It shouldn’t just be a housing precinct,” he said.

Trainer Gai Waterhouse told the inquiry that she was “infuriated” at the proposed sale of Rosehill Gardens racecourse.

Ms Waterhouse told the inquiry that she was “infuriated” at the underhand way the Australian Turf Club had gone about the proposal to sell the racecourse near Parramatta.

“We would not be here today to discuss selling the Sydney Cricket Ground or Bondi Beach,” she said. “Like everybody in racing I am incensed at the attempt to sell Rosehill and hijack, that means steal, the proceeds.”

Ms Waterhouse said the sale was dependent on the vote of the ATC members. “If they put it to the members now I can tell you it would be overwhelmingly against it.”

However inquiry chair Scott Farlow said advice from government bureaucrats in the Department of Enterprise Investment and Trade was that the ATC board could sell the racecourse without the members having a say.

The hearing continues.

Business Western Sydney’s David Borger believes building a new community with its own metro station would provide an enormous economic boost to the area around the racecourse. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

NEW REPORT

The state’s desperate need for more housing was emphasised in a new report by Oxford Economics Australia released today which warns housing supply will spectacularly fail to reach the National Housing Accord target of 1.2 million new homes by 2029.

It found NSW is lagging behind other states as a lack of tradies and planning red tape ensures home prices and rents stay at record levels.

Report author Tim Hibbert said the forecast level of new home building over the next five years nationally was expected to hit 940,000 – almost 25 per cent below the federal government’s target.

The reality of the housing crisis has been felt by Sydney nurse Brianna Phillipson, 25, and her partner Tyrone Wilkinson who have been forced to move to the Central Coast because buying in Sydney is completely out of reach.

“I knew we wouldn’t be able to afford a house in Sydney, I thought a villa or a townhouse was even a bit of a stretch,” she said.

“We won’t be able to come back to Sydney, once you leave you can’t come back.”