Premier Gladys Berejiklian refuses to join Macquarie Ice Rink fight

As community anger grows around AMP Capital’s plans to bulldoze the treasured Macquarie Ice Rink, Premier Gladys Berejiklian has distanced herself from the issue, saying it’s a commercial decision for the developer.

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NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has skated away from an opportunity to join tens of thousands of community members in fighting to save the treasured Macquarie Ice Rink.

As community anger grows around AMP Capital’s plans to bulldoze the 40-year-old ice rink at Macquarie Centre, paving the way for a new retail podium in a $195 million redevelopment, Ms Berejiklian today distanced herself from the issue, saying it’s a commercial decision for the developer.

“Member for Ryde Victor Dominello is working tirelessly to find a solution to preserve this much-loved venue and the government welcomes AMP Capital’s decision to pause its development application to enable further community consultation,” the Member for Willoughby said in a brief statement.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian encourages children from York Public School to be more active with sport earlier this month.

Ms Berejiklian, who has shared Mr Dominello’s petition to save Australia’s premier ice rink, home to Winter Olympians, national ice hockey teams and thousands of recreational users each week, skated at the venue when she was a North Ryde schoolgirl.

However, she failed to answer a question on whether she would make representations to the highest levels of AMP Capital to retain the ice rink, one of the most-loved social assets in Sydney’s northwest.

More than 50,000 people have signed petitions to save the rink. And the Times’ “Save Macquarie Ice Rink” Facebook page has already attracted 1000 members in its first week as emotions run high on the government’s dodgeball this week.

Yesterday, senior ministers Anthony Roberts (planning) and Stuart Ayres (sport), took the same evasive route as the Premier. In fact, Mr Ayres didn’t even bother to respond to questions about a rescue plan for the ice rink.

NSW Minister for Planning Anthony Roberts has failed to take up the fight to save the Olympic-sized ice rink at Macquarie Centre.

The embattled Mac ice rink, which faces closure early next year, is attended by hundreds of school students each week and its learn-to-skate programs are growing in popularity.

Earlier this month, both Ms Berejikian and Mr Ayres were talking up the government’s Active Kids program.

“We have made it a priority to reduce childhood overweight and obesity rates in NSW and now with Active Kids we have almost half of all school-enrolled kids enjoying the benefits of exercise,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“I want to see even more families take advantage of the vouchers and enrol their children in sport in 2019.”

Mr Ayres said: “Active kids are happy and healthy kids and this program means that every child in the state has the opportunity to be fit and active.”

NSW Sports Minister Stuart Ayres promotes the “active kids” program recently.

The sidestepping has sparked community outrage on the Save Macquarie Ice Rink Facebook page.

“It may not be the ministers’ decision but they could still put pressure on AMP,” Shayne Clark wrote. “(It’s) disgusting that our Sports Minister is not doing that. He shouldn’t be in that position if he can’t stand up to save a sports facility.”

Christina Holt added: “Do these ministers not realise that there is an election soon (on March 23) and this might help them keep their seats, especially if the people of their area use Macquarie Ice Rink?”

J.P. Manalo said “Gladys, and all of the politicians, frankly doesn’t care. All she cares about is saving her political bacon”, while Peter Vanderhorst was more blunt: “It’s going to get real ugly at the polling booths this year.”

LOCAL POLLIES’ BLAME GAME

Ryde MP Victor Dominello has been isolated by his senior colleagues in what’s proving to be a pre-election planning flashpoint in his blue-ribbon seat.

The Times asked Mr Dominello this morning how he felt about Ms Berejiklian, Mr Roberts and Mr Ayres failing to stand up for the community. He did not answer it directly.

Ryde MP and Minister for Finance Victor Dominello.

Instead, he tried to deflect blame to Ryde Council over the planning approvals process in 2016, when AMP Capital first lodged plans for a redevelopment of Macquarie Centre.

“This matter was before council in 2016 and I expected council to do its job. Rather than blaming everybody else, council should have applied for a heritage order in 2016,” Mr Dominello said in a statement.

“I will continue to fight for the community and work with council to save the rink.

“I have worked tirelessly against overdevelopment since entering parliament in 2008. We have won battles against the 63-storey towers, we saved Smalls Road and TG Millner Field, and we are building seven new schools plus other critical infrastructure.”

A fuming Ryde Labor Mayor Jerome Laxale said the Finance Minister was “deliberately misinforming” the community on how the planning system works.

Ryde Mayor Jerome Laxale.

“The concept DA was approved by the State Government,” said Cr Laxale, who will challenge Mr Dominello at the state election in March.

“I’ve been on council since 2012 and, because of the State Government stripping planning powers away, I’ve never been able to represent my community on a major development application (over the value of $20 million).

“The State Government’s planning system favours developers, and it will take more than sharing a petition to fix this.”