Packer, Baird and O’Farrell face Barangaroo inquiry call

The former premiers and billionaire, along with ex-PM Paul Keating, have been asked to appear at NSW parliamentary hearings into the development of the precinct.

The Crown development at Barangaroo in Sydney. Picture: David Gray/Getty Images

Former NSW premiers Barry O’Farrell, Mike Baird and billionaire James Packer could be called before a NSW parliamentary inquiry into the development of Sydney’s Barangaroo precinct and a secret deal cut between the state and Crown Resorts over harbourside views.

The men are among a long list of names, including former prime minister Paul Keating, who have been extended offers to appear before the inquiry into the Barangaroo.

The committee, chaired by One Nation MP Mark Latham, comes after a disagreement over the Central Barangaroo precinct saw the original developer, Daniel Grollo’s Grocon, exit the site and the NSW government reject the latest plan from new builder Aqualand.

Central Barangaroo is a key part of the broader development, located closest to Barangaroo Reserve and beside Crown Resorts’ Sydney casino.

Former NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell and James Packer pictured at an event in 2013. Picture: Andrew Quilty

A schedule for the first two days of the inquiry’s agenda suggests the committee may seek to examine the 2012 lunch between Mr O’Farrell, now the Australian High Commissioner to India, Mr Packer, then Crown’s controlling shareholder, and former 2GB Radio presenter Alan Jones during which the former gaming mogul proposed the Sydney casino.

This proposal came as the government settled on plans for Barangaroo, previously a sprawling shipping container port, on the western flank of the Sydney CBD.

In her submission to the inquiry, Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said she had “longstanding concerns” about the precinct.

“It is well publicised that the negotiations between the NSW Government, the Barangaroo Delivery Authority, Lendlease and Crown have been shrouded in secrecy and backroom discussions,” Ms Moore wrote.

“A lack of transparency around the deals has created probity and integrity issues and led to the vested interests of a few triumphing over the public good.”

The committee will also seek to examine decision making by the government over the Central Barangaroo project which has been repeatedly delayed after several proposals were opposed by Crown and Lendlease, which is also building nearby.

As previously revealed in The Australian, Crown and Lendlease pressured the NSW government to agree to a deal that saw them guaranteed them a say over future developments of other projects in the Barangaroo precinct. This ultimately saw Grocon’s bid to build a major development in Central Barangaroo scuttled by the courts.

This was a tower proposed by developer Grocon that will be about 50,000 square metres.

Emails revealed by The Australian show Mr Baird’s former chief of staff Bay Warburton was closely involved in negotiating between the two sides, briefing the premier ahead of a visit by Mr Packer that allowed Crown secure a significant height jump for its Barangaroo tower.

Several Labor figures are also expected to be called, including former federal sport minister Mark Arbib and national secretary Karl Bittar, both of whom later worked for Mr Packer.

Crown told the inquiry in its submission it would monitor the inquiry but that many people involved in the Barangaroo deals had left the company.

Grocon, which sold its stake to Aqualand and is currently suing the NSW government over the Barangaroo deal, alleged “bias” in decision making in the precinct and claims approvals for its project were withheld until the day after it sold its stake to Aqualand.

Infrastructure NSW, which replaced the original Barangaroo Delivery Authority charged with the development of the precinct, denies any wrongdoing.