Decision details

Moved by Councillor Phelps, seconded by Councillor Forster –

It is resolved that:

(A)      Council note:

(i)         Moore Park is part of Governor Macquarie’s 1811 Sydney Common. As a park that is more than 150 years old, it is older than Centennial Park, and has major national and state heritage value;

(ii)        Moore Park is the largest park close to the City of Sydney and residential areas which have the greatest population density in Australia;

(iii)      especially during the Covid-19 pandemic this open space is vitally important for the physical and mental wellbeing of the community;

(iv)      Moore Park is of considerable environmental and historical significance including the surrounds of Kippax Lake, itself one of the last remnants of Sydney’s early water supply, Busby’s Bore;

(v)       Moore Park is seriously degraded after decades of on-grass car parking in connection with sporting events at the SCG and SFS and under-investment by the NSW State Government;

(vi)      in 2016, the NSW Government signed off on the Moore Park Master Plan, however it is yet to allocate any funds towards its implementation;

(vii)     the two areas currently used for car parking would provide excellent playing fields for junior and community sport, there being a desperate shortage of such fields in the Sydney metropolitan area; and

(viii)    there is widespread community support for the removal of on-grass car parking from Moore Park and the need for funding of the Moore Park Master Plan; and

(B)      the Lord Mayor be requested to write to the Premier, the Hon Gladys Berejiklian MP, and the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, the Hon Rob Stokes MP, requesting that the NSW Government:

(i)         agree to the permanent removal of event on-grass car parking on the northern section of Moore Park East with immediate effect;

(ii)        announce that car parking on the southern end of Moore Park East will cease by mid-2023 to allow time for the provision of alternative parking and access arrangements;

(iii)      develop and implement a comprehensive plan, based on the Moore Park Master Plan, for the remediation and revitalisation of Moore Park East including the provision of a new junior playing field on the northern section and facilities for community use; and

(iv)      strengthen and formalise links between local communities and the new Greater Sydney Parklands Board and Management to ensure they respond to needs identified by the community.

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Note – the motion above was not carried. The resolution as below was carried –

It is resolved that:

(A)      Council note:

(i)         Moore Park is public land that is part of the original Governor Macquarie’s 1811 Sydney Common bequest for the benefit of the people of Sydney;

(ii)        the Lord Mayor’s private members bill, the Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust (Macquarie Sydney Common) Amendment Bill in 1992 stopped plans to rezone the Showground site for sale and development when the Royal Agricultural Society moved to Homebush, confirming it as public land and placing it under the stewardship of the Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust;

(iii)      for years the Lord Mayor has advocated to NSW Governments to protect Moore Park and stop prioritising commercial interests over the public interest;

(iv)      Moore Park is 3km from the city centre and is within 2km of the Green Square urban renewal area, the densest residential area in Australia with an expected population of up to 70,000 people by 2031;

(v)       increased density has consequently increased demand for open space and parklands, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, highlighting that Moore Park is vitally important for the physical and mental wellbeing of the community;

(vi)      Moore Park is of considerable environmental and historical significance including the surrounds of Kippax Lake, itself one of the last remnants of Sydney’s early water supply, Busby’s Bore;

(vii)     Moore Park is seriously degraded after decades of on-grass car parking in connection with events at the Sydney Cricket Ground and Sydney Football Stadium and withdrawal of investment by the NSW State Government for the upkeep and maintenance of the park;

(viii)    the Lord Mayor has met with the Minister of Planning and Public Spaces to discuss the new Greater Sydney Parklands Government Agency and written to him about it requesting the need for meaningful community consultation on the future of the parklands, and reduction of commercialisation of the parklands; 

(ix)       on 18 August, the Lord Mayor reiterated those concerns to Michael Rose, Chair of the Greater Sydney Parklands and its Chief Executive Officer, Suellen Fitzgerald who have assumed responsibility for the Centennial Parklands;

(x)        in 2016, the NSW Government signed off on the Moore Park Master Plan 2040, however it is yet to allocate any funds towards its implementation;

(xi)      the Moore Park Master Plan 2040 has a welcome commitment to phase out on-grass event parking;

(xii)     the areas at the northern and southern ends of East Moore Park currently used for event on-grass car parking would provide excellent playing fields for junior and community sport, there being a desperate shortage of such fields in the Sydney metropolitan area;

(xiii)    there is widespread community support for the removal of on-grass car parking from Moore Park;

(xiv)    on 17 September, the Lord Mayor met with Michael Waterhouse, President of Saving Moore Park and offered her support for their campaign for the removal of on-grass car parking at Moore Park;

(xv)      the recently opened CBD and South East Light Rail offers patrons easy access to the Moore Park precinct; and

(xvi)    a fully integrated ticketing system for events at Moore Park will encourage more patrons to use public transport, rather than driving, to and from the precinct;

(B)      the Lord Mayor be requested to write to the Premier, the Hon Gladys Berejiklian, MP and the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, the Hon. Rob Stokes, MP requesting that the NSW Government:

(i)         agree to the permanent removal of on-grass car parking at Moore Park with immediate effect;

(ii)        develop and implement the proposal in Moore Park Master Plan 2040 for the remediation and revitalisation of Moore Park East including the provision of a new junior playing field on the northern section of Moore Park East and facilities for community use; and

(iii)      strengthen and formalise links between local communities and the new Greater Sydney Parklands Board and Management to ensure they respond to needs identified by the community; and

(C)      the Lord Mayor be requested to write to the Minister for Transport, the Hon. Andrew Constance, MP and the private sporting codes operating at Moore Park to work together and formally commit to integrated ticketing for all events at Moore Park, and actively promote other incentives that encourage public transport and reduce private vehicle use for people going to events.

The amendment, as varied by consent, was carried on the following show of hands –

Ayes (7)          The Chair (the Lord Mayor), Councillors Forster, Kok, Miller, Scott, Scully and Thalis

Noes (3)          Councillors Chung, Phelps and Vithoulkas.

Amendment carried.

The motion was carried unanimously.

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