NSW Budget allocates $3.5m for Moore Park conversion next year

The government expects to spend $50 million on the controversial carve-up of Moore Park Golf Course. But only $3.5 million in “planning” funding will be spent next year.

The Minns government will spend just $3.5 million next financial year to create 20 hectares of public space by slicing Moore Park Golf Course in half.

Tuesday’s budget announced the government’s plans to create new public space including community sporting facilities will cost $50 million, but only a fraction of that has been allocated for next financial year.

The $3.5 million in “planning funding” included in the budget papers will be spent from July next year, when the golf club’s lease expires.

Last week, Treasurer Daniel Mookhey told The Daily Telegraph that the government had not made a final decision on what Moore Park would look like after the golf club’s lease expires.

“When the government has made its decisions on the future of Moore Park and what the park’s going to look like, obviously the budget will reflect that,” he said.

Aerial images of Moore Park Golf Course and driving range. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Mr Mookhey said new parkland would be built in “stages,” telling the Telegraph that the government “put money aside last year to begin the first round of work on it”.

“People will see that work is continuing in the budget,” he said last week.

The Telegraph has previously revealed warnings that Premier Chris Minns plan for 20 hectares of public space could cost as much as $200 million to achieve.

Treasurer Daniel Mookhey’s budget includes $50 million to transform more park, but only $3.5 million has been allocated Picture: Rohan Kelly

That estimate came from a consortium of golfing bodies fighting to save an 18 hole golf course at Moore Park.

The $200 million estimate came as part of a proposal, from the Moore Park Golf Collective, to retain an 18 hole golf course while delivering at least 15 hectares of land for community use.

Moore Park Golf Club President John Janik told the Telegraph that the club has heard “nothing” from the government about what will happen when their lease expires next year.

“We’ve had no contact at all from he government,” he said last week.

Originally published as NSW Budget allocates $3.5m for Moore Park conversion next year