El Diablo
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https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/allianz-stadium-stuart-ayres-sfs-nsw-20180815-p4zxm0.html
'What is the rush here?': Allianz demolition to go ahead despite looming election
Jacob Saulwick16 August 2018 — 12:00am
The NSW government will sign a contract to demolish Allianz Stadium at Moore Park even if it has to do so with the state election looming.
The state opposition says signing the demolition contract close to the March 2019 election would breach conventions preventing governments from tying the hands of future administrations.
But Sports Minister Stuart Ayres said because the decision to demolish and replace the stadium had already been taken, it should not be an issue.
In a parliamentary inquiry last week, the government agency responsible for building the $729 million stadium, Infrastructure NSW, said it was hopeful of obtaining planning approval for the demolition of Allianz in mid to late November.
Once approval was obtained, it might take “two or three weeks” for a cabinet committee to approve the demolition contract, Jim Betts, the chief executive of Infrastructure NSW, told the inquiry. According to Mr Betts’ evidence, the contract would be signed only after cabinet and planning approval.
Labor MP John Graham asked Mr Betts about the interaction between the timing of the contract signing and caretaker government conventions.
The “caretaker” period is typically a window of a few weeks before an election.
But there is a longer “pre-election” period in which governments are discouraged from making major decisions. In 2015, this pre-election period dated from the last parliamentary sitting day before the election. The equivalent date in 2018 is November 29.
“Although the conventions only apply during the caretaker period, it is accepted that care should also be taken throughout the entire pre-election period,” a Premier’s memorandum issued before the 2015 election said.
“In particular, the government should generally be circumspect at any time in the lead-up to the election before making any significant decision that may be politically contentious and would bind a future government.”
Asked last week if signing the demolition contract during the pre-election period would present a conflict with the conventions, Mr Betts said he would need to take advice.
“The pre-election period does not impact the Infrastructure NSW delivery program.”
Mr Graham disagreed, saying signing a demolition contract in the pre-election period would be a “clear breach of the caretaker principles.”
“They were developed for precisely this scenario, a politically contentious decision made in the shadow of an election,” he said.
“What is the rush here? Why not let the public have a say?”
Labor opposes the demolition of Allianz, and has suggested it could refurbish the stadium if it was still standing, and if there was a change of government next year.
Demolition is due to start after the New Year's Test series between Australia and India at the adjacent SCG.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/allianz-stadium-stuart-ayres-sfs-nsw-20180815-p4zxm0.html
'What is the rush here?': Allianz demolition to go ahead despite looming election
Jacob Saulwick16 August 2018 — 12:00am
The NSW government will sign a contract to demolish Allianz Stadium at Moore Park even if it has to do so with the state election looming.
The state opposition says signing the demolition contract close to the March 2019 election would breach conventions preventing governments from tying the hands of future administrations.
But Sports Minister Stuart Ayres said because the decision to demolish and replace the stadium had already been taken, it should not be an issue.
In a parliamentary inquiry last week, the government agency responsible for building the $729 million stadium, Infrastructure NSW, said it was hopeful of obtaining planning approval for the demolition of Allianz in mid to late November.
Once approval was obtained, it might take “two or three weeks” for a cabinet committee to approve the demolition contract, Jim Betts, the chief executive of Infrastructure NSW, told the inquiry. According to Mr Betts’ evidence, the contract would be signed only after cabinet and planning approval.
Labor MP John Graham asked Mr Betts about the interaction between the timing of the contract signing and caretaker government conventions.
The “caretaker” period is typically a window of a few weeks before an election.
But there is a longer “pre-election” period in which governments are discouraged from making major decisions. In 2015, this pre-election period dated from the last parliamentary sitting day before the election. The equivalent date in 2018 is November 29.
“Although the conventions only apply during the caretaker period, it is accepted that care should also be taken throughout the entire pre-election period,” a Premier’s memorandum issued before the 2015 election said.
“In particular, the government should generally be circumspect at any time in the lead-up to the election before making any significant decision that may be politically contentious and would bind a future government.”
Asked last week if signing the demolition contract during the pre-election period would present a conflict with the conventions, Mr Betts said he would need to take advice.
“The pre-election period does not impact the Infrastructure NSW delivery program.”
Mr Graham disagreed, saying signing a demolition contract in the pre-election period would be a “clear breach of the caretaker principles.”
“They were developed for precisely this scenario, a politically contentious decision made in the shadow of an election,” he said.
“What is the rush here? Why not let the public have a say?”
Labor opposes the demolition of Allianz, and has suggested it could refurbish the stadium if it was still standing, and if there was a change of government next year.
Demolition is due to start after the New Year's Test series between Australia and India at the adjacent SCG.
