Stunning act of rebellion from NSW Labor MP over golf course threat
A NSW Labor MP has turned on her party and slammed moves by the Minns Government to kill off a golf course for cemetery space as “shortsighted, lazy” and “a betrayal of public trust”.
NSW
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NSW Labor MP Lynda Voltz has slammed moves by the Minns Government to kill off a golf course for cemetery space as “shortsighted, lazy” and “a betrayal of public trust” in a stunning act of rebellion.
Speaking exclusively to The Daily Telegraph, the Member for Auburn launched her attack as a petition with more than 5000 signatures opposing the threat to Carnarvon Golf Club awaits a parliamentary response from Lands and Property Minister Steve Kamper.
Doubling down on her criticism, Ms Voltz also raged against the prospect of Coleman Park in Lidcombe being caught in the cemetery “land grab” despite Federal Labor and Cumberland Council committing $10 million to upgrade the sporting facility.
It is the second revolt from Ms Voltz after initially breaking ranks in January when she warned the government would have “a fight on its hands” over Carnarvon. Fellow state Labor MP Julie Finn, the Member for Granville, backed her stand.
Federal Education Minister Jason Clare, the Member for Blaxland whose electorate includes both Carnarvon golf course and Coleman Park, has added his support and met Premier Chris Minns in recent weeks to discuss the issue.
“My community is very concerned about the risk of the golf course being turned into a cemetery,” he told this masthead. “I’m working very closely with Lynda Voltz … and Ola Hamed the Mayor of Cumberland Council. That includes meeting with the Premier to outline our concerns.”
Sparked by a search for new burial space by Crown cemetery operators Metropolitan Memorial Parks (MMP), the Carnarvon debate has reignited as Moore Park Golf Club continues a rearguard action to prevent its inner-city course from being shredded to make way for public parkland.
The dual golfing dramas have now become an embarrassing fiasco for the Premier with local councils, local Labor MPs and local communities all teeing off at the prospect of government hacking into the public courses.
Former British Open champion now PGA of Australia chairman Ian Baker-Finch told The Daily Telegraph last month that moves to shrink Moore Park from 18 holes to nine was “an absolute disgrace”.
“This is a public facility,” he said. “Something needs to be done. Why would you shut down nine holes of a golf course just because they’ve gone and built 45,000 units within a 2km radius?”
Federal Labor MP, Matt Thistlethwaite, also joined the crusade to save Moore Park.
“Moore Park Golf Club came up with a sensible proposal to increase public space, build new recreation facilities and keep 18 holes,” he said earlier this year. “The government should consider that as an alternative.”
In her latest salvo, Ms Voltz said: “The NSW Government’s quiet move to repurpose Carnarvon golf course and Coleman Park soccer fields as cemetery space is shortsighted, lazy, and completely out of touch with the communities it affects.”
Adding MMP to the mix, she added: “There’s been no transparency, no engagement, no respect for local voices. Just a last-minute decision with sweeping consequences made behind closed doors.
“This isn’t just bad policy – it’s a betrayal of public trust. Western Sydney deserves better than last-minute land grabs and secretive decision-making.”
While a government spokesperson said Coleman Park was not under threat, no decision had been made on Carnarvon.
“We got into this mess because successive Governments put this in the too hard basket, now we are at a point where we can’t afford not to act,” a spokesman 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 ... and conduct community consultation on any preferred sites, prior to a proposal for a new cemetery be put to the NSW Government.
“Carnarvon Golf Club has a lease on the site to 2035, any early termination of this would require mutual agreement.”
Originally published as Stunning act of rebellion from NSW Labor MP over golf course threat
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