Member for Auburn comes out swinging over plans to hack up Sydney’s golf courses
Two Labor MPs have broken ranks to swing out at the government and directly oppose the premier over plans threatening two of Sydney’s most popular golf courses.
NSW
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A Labor MP has sensationally broken ranks with her party to oppose Premier Chris Minns over controversial plans to slash Moore Park Golf Course in half.
Auburn state MP Lynda Voltz told The Daily Telegraph she disagreed with the proposal to hack the historic inner-city course layout from 18 holes to nine.
“I’m not a fan of getting rid of the 18 holes at Moore Park,” Ms Voltz said of an issue that has outraged the city’s sporting community.
“That sort of thing just makes courses unviable.”
Ms Voltz made her stand while also warning colleagues that “this government is going to have a fight on its hands” over plans that could see the Carnarvon Golf Club course – located at Lidcombe and within her electorate – demolished to make way for a cemetery.
Fellow state Labor MP Julia Finn – the Member for Granville – is supporting Ms Voltz in a public campaign to save Carnarvon, that will celebrate its centenary in 2027.
Ms Finn posted on Facebook: “Carnarvon Golf Course is under threat and my colleague Lynda Voltz MP is fighting to protect it. It’s a hugely popular golf course and an essential recreation facility.”
Sydney’s golf wars have now divided the Minns government.
A consortium called the Moore Park Collective – involving Golf Australia, the PGA of Australia, Golf NSW and the Moore Park Golf Club – has submitted alternative plans to the state government in a desperate attempt to save that course from shrinking to a nine-hole facility.
The group’s masterplan includes reshaping the course from a par-72 to par-68 layout to deliver “a minimum of 15 hectares” back to government for more public open space. The state government’s plan pushes for 20ha to be repurposed.
But it is the future of Carnarvon that has Ms Voltz launching her public campaign. After a “very robust discussion” with Minister for Sport and Lands and Property Steve Kamper, Ms Voltz is promising to use all available resources to save the “working class” course.
“This site is too important to the community,” she said.
“We are not going away. This government is going to have a fight on its hands.
“I’m asking everyone in my electorate to sign a petition that’s now up and running.”
The Carnarvon campaign is also ramping up across the broader golfing community.
Carnarvon Golf Club general manager Adam McGregor has sponsored the e-petition on the NSW Parliament website entitled “Protect our Sporting Facilities and Save Carnarvon Golf Course”. The petition on Wednesday had secured almost 1000 signatures.
Mr McGregor’s petition asks the Legislative Assembly to remove Carnarvon “from any lists for potential cemetery and crematorium sites”.
A spokesperson for Mr Kamper said: “The NSW government has directed Crown cemetery operators to identify options to significantly increase the supply of new burial space in Sydney … Due diligence is being undertaken on a diverse range of sites.
“No decision has been made on any site.”
Mr McGregor has also written to about 400 golf clubs across the state requesting support, while a letter he has penned to Carnarvon members was uploaded to the club’s website on Tuesday night.
Rebecca Kim Forrester, 55, has played at Carnarvon for nine years now, and is distraught over the fact she could be about to lose what she calls her “community”.
“My husband and I play at the course four times a week and we are deeply upset over these new plans,” she said.
“We are doing everything in our power to ensure this doesn’t happen. The course and the culture is an integral part in a lot of people’s lives.”
Originally published as Member for Auburn comes out swinging over plans to hack up Sydney’s golf courses
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