Jones slams Gladys over Ritz decision: ‘We’re a laughing stock’
Broadcaster Alan Jones has unleashed a scathing attack on Gladys Berijiklian and her government over a decision to knock back the luxury Ritz Carlton development at Pyrmont, saying Sydney has become “a laughing stock”.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Broadcaster Alan Jones has declared Sydney is “a laughing stock” and says Brisbane is “running rings around us” in an extraordinary spray against the NSW government’s decision to knock back a luxury six-star hotel in Pyrmont.
“We’re an embarrassment Gladys make a decision, take a stand give the thing a go ahead and get on with it,” he said on 2GB this morning.
“Brisbane is building more than a dozen new hotels… Brisbane are running rings around us.”
MORE NEWS
BORDER FORCE BAG $155M ICE HAUL IN SYDNEY BUST
WHY BEN SIMMONS WAS TURNED AWAY FROM CROWN
The 61-storey six-star Ritz Carlton hotel near the Star casino was knocked on the head by the state’s planning department after it found the development would “appear isolated and overly prominent” to the “detriment of local and wider views”.
Jones this morning said that madness had overtaken the government on the issue and the Premier needed to decide: “Are we a global city or not?”
“The department of planning and environment has recommended that not far from here this $500 million Ritz Carlton tower at Pyrmont be rejected, we’re a laughing stock,” Jones said on 2GB.
“The Planning Minister Rob Stokes, now listen come on… Stop getting on the backward thinking bandwagon.
“It was knocked back because the new proposal was not consistent with the existing global character of the area. So what do we do? Dedicate Pyrmont to two-storey detached houses? Is that what we’re doing? We’re talking about a city of five million people predicted to be 8 million in the next 40 years.
“Now of course local community should be respected, but change is inevitable. Advocacy for the future is essential Gladys. Younger generations demand different lifestyles.
“Are we a global city or not?”
Jones said the Sydney Business Chamber had described the decision as “disappointing”, former Tourism Australia boss John O’Sullivan had declared it “tragic” and Urban Taskforce CEO Chris Johnson had labelled it “outrageous”.
He said there were just 83 objections to the hotel development compared to 202 for the expansion project for The Art Gallery of NSW.
“The Star ran multiple community consultation sessions, 5000 people went through their public exhibition,” he said.
“There will always be objections by people who want to live in the past.”