Meriton CEO Harry Triguboff’s ‘offensive’ email to Planning Minister unearthed by Save Little Bay

A recently unearthed email by one of Sydney’s richest men, calling for the NSW Government to support a major eastern suburbs development, has been described by residents as offensive. See the letter.

The Meriton-owned development site at 1406-1408 Anzac Parade, Little Bay. Picture / Monique Harmer

Community angst is swirling in the wake of Meriton’s third attempt to rezone Little Bay for high-rise towers, with an email from the developer and Australia’s third richest person labelled as “pure greed”.

Kingsford Smith Labor MP Matt Thistlethwaite recently congratulated community action group Save Little Bay for its freedom of information application which uncovered an email from Meriton CEO Harry Triguboff to Planning Minister Anthony Roberts on June 30.

“For many years we are trying to develop Little Bay. A few years go [sic] I was told by the Planning Department that a state lead (sic) precinct will be made for the whole area, the prison, the housing commission and me,” the letter, penned by Mr Triguboff, reads.

“I am waiting for the plan so that I can prepare my plan. Until I get your plan, I cannot prepare mine. Whether you have money or not is irrelevant. After 20 years you should be able also to prepare plans so that we will all be able to value our land and start building.

“I consider this to be a fair proposition and I am waiting for your reply. For you to prepare the plan you don't need to have another site for the prison, buses or trains. But if you will prepare them, we can all start moving. You need the money and we need the money too.”

Matt Thistlethwaite at parliament. Parliament House, Canberra. Image Tracey Nearmy- AUSPIC/DPS

Mr Thistlethwaite, who read the letter at parliament, scoffed when he reached the end and described its contents as “unbelievable”.

“This guy is a billionaire, and he says that they need the money,” he said. “It is pure greed, pure greed. Our community should not be ridden roughshod over by the NSW Government and by Meriton. This proposal should be rejected because it is overdevelopment.”

The letter @MThistlethwaite is referring to. pic.twitter.com/2EZnxYFo0p

— savelittlebay (@savelittlebay) March 10, 2023

Save Little Bay was founded in opposition to Meriton’s plans to rezone the original ‘Little Bay Cove’ masterplan to high-rise development.

Group spokesman Olde Lorenzen said Mr Triguboff “certainly does not need the money” and described the letter as “offensive”.

“They are now experiencing not only mortgage stress, but yet again through-the-roof anxiety that they may soon be facing cookie-cutter Meriton towers instead of the permitted town house development,” he said.

“It would further diminish the value of their apartments. If anyone needs the money, it is residents who are up against developers who disrespect the outcome of a planning process, and real people struggling with the rising cost of living.”

Harry Triguboff.

The original planning proposal, which was rejected by Randwick Council, sought the development of 1900 homes in buildings up to 22 storeys. A rezoning review lodged with the NSW Planning Department was refused unanimously by the independent Sydney Eastern City Planning Panel in 2021.

Meriton is now attempting to have the development considered as part of the fast-track Rezoning Pathways Program announced in December, which requires proposals including more than 1000 new homes.

We can’t prepare an updated 3D model of #Meriton's newest attempt at rezoning Little Bay for as long as @NSWDPE imposes secrecy orders on rezoning applications. We can only remind you of the atrocities Meriton had planned in 2021 to override the approved Masterplan. #nswpolpic.twitter.com/YF6meX69Ns

— savelittlebay (@savelittlebay) March 14, 2023

In response to questions to Mr Triguboff, a Meriton spokesman said Randwick was experiencing “a housing and rental crisis” and “the delivery of adequate housing and associated employment is in the community interest”.

“We have reduced the density from our previous proposal, reduced the dwelling yield by over 300 dwellings, increased housing diversity, increased the proportion of affordable housing … offered a significant monetary contribution for a high-frequency bus service down Anzac Pde as a broader public benefit, and will continue to preserve the environmental, heritage and indigenous features of the site,” he said.

“Our site should benefit from the same planning allowances as we are ready to develop, particularly when Randwick is failing to meet its own housing targets of ‘860 dwellings on average to be built every year between 2021 and 2036’, which is endorsed by the Department of Planning.

“Yet only 81 new dwellings have been produced across the entire LGA in the last 12 months of available data.”

Mr Triguboff was asked to clarify the meaning behind “we need the money too”, however no comment was provided.

A spokesman for Mr Roberts said the letter was forwarded to the Department of Planning and Environment for response.

“Stakeholders including Mr Triguboff are entitled to write to NSW state ministers and members of parliament,” he said.